Of €F)6 BOOKS 

JL Work of Collaboration by 

F>6RB6KC UJBXLTJSOC 

and 

M.CHMFB6IX 



Class. 
Book. 



q o 



I 

I 



The Teachings 
of the Books 



The Teachings 
of the Books 



Or The Literary Structure and 
Spiritual Interpretation of the 
Books of the New Testament 

A Work of Collaboration by Herbert 
L Willett and James M Campbell 




SECOND EDITION, WITH BIBLIOGRAPHY 



Fleming H. Revell Company 

Chicago New York Toronto 

MDCDI 



T3S a-3^o 
■ .W4-1 

Hoi 



Copyright, 1899, by 
Fleming H. Revell Company 

4 o 4 




PREFATORY NOTE 



This Handbook has been prepared especially for 
advanced Bible-class work, but it is hoped that it may 
also be found useful to the pastor and to the general 
Bible student. It is designed to furnish something 
more than an introduction to the study of the books 
of the New Testament. Whatever justification it has 
to offer for its existence is found in the effort which it 
makes to examine the several books of the New Testa- 
ment themselves, so as to get hold of the essential 
truths which they contain. Special attention is given 
to the study of the New Testament as literature, but 
the proper classification and arrangement of literary 
material is valued only as an aid to the interpretation 
of spiritual facts. The results of the older and of the 
newer learning are alike gladly accepted when they 
can assist in seeing things from the author's stand- 
point, in giving to his words their appropriate histor- 
ical setting, and in getting through them to the mind 
of the Spirit. In a word, the aim of the book is 
to get through the letter of Scripture to the spirit, 
through the shell to the kernel, through the bone to 
the marrow. 

In this work of collaboration the sections upon the 
literary structure and historical background of the 
separate books are the work of Herbert L. Willett; 
those upon the spiritual teaching of the books are the 
work of James M. Campbell. 

9 



THE TEACHINGS OF THE BOOKS 



THE FOUR GOSPELS 

Why four gospels? A symbolical meaning has been 
attached to the number four. It has been taken to 
refer to the four rivers which went out from the Gar- 
den of Eden, and also to the four cherubim of Ezekiel. 
Another explanation is that it contains a suggestion 
of God's intention to extend the gospel to the four 
quarters of the globe. Irenseus compares the four 
gospels to four pillars on which the Church rests as it 
covers the earth. Calvin compares them to a chariot 
drawn by four horses, in which the King of Glory 
rides forth to receive the triumphal acclamation of all 
people. It is vain to search for a secret meaning in 
anything so simple. The four gospels — which are 
fragmentary memorabilia, and not exhaustive biog- 
raphies — present a four-fold picture of Him who is the 
sum and substance of God's revelation to men. Each 
portrait gives a partial representation, and by chang- 
ing the angle of vision it presents our Lord in a new 
aspect. In the separate memoirs there is neither 
discord nor discrepancy. They exhibit a unity which 
shows the presence of "a presiding mind who planned 
the whole." 

Strictly speaking there is but one gospel, which is 
n 



12 The Teachings of the Books 



presented in a four-fold form. It is called "the gos- 
pel of God" (Rom. xv. 16), because God is its 
author; "the gospel of Christ" (I. Thess. i. 8), be- 
cause Christ is its subject matter; "the gospel of Sal- 
vation" (Eph. i. 13), because salvation is its object. 
The four forms of the one gospel blend as the hues of 
the rainbow. Taken together they give a complete 
conception of Christ's unique personality and mission. 
From their pages looks out a face that the imagination 
of mortal could not have created. And when that 
face is seen, the books in which it is sketched are joy- 
fully accepted as a divine revelation. "Men think 
they believe in Christ," says Dr. R. W. Dale, "because 
they believe in the Bible; they really believe in the 
Bible because they believe in Christ." "I hold the 
gospels genuine through and through," says Goethe, 
"for there is apparent in them the reflected glory of 
the majesty which went out from the person of Christ, 
and which is divine in its nature, as the divine only 
once was manifested here upon earth." 

It is difficult to sum up in a sentence the leading 
characteristics of the evangelists. In ancient sym- 
bolism Matthew has been compared to an ox, because 
he suggests the priestly relations of Christ; Mark to 
a lion, because of the strength and energy of his gos- 
pel; Luke to a man because he brings to view Christ's 
human and kingly qualities; John to an eagle, because 
he soars into the heavens and looks with steady eye 
upon the dazzling brightness of the divine glory. 
In the cases of Matthew and Luke this order has been 
sometimes reversed, and Matthew has been compared 
to a man, and Luke to an ox. The gospel of Matthew 
l s the, didactic gospel; that of Mark is the dynamic 



The Four Gospels 



13 



gospel; that of Luke, the humanitarian gospel; that 
of John the spiritual gospel. Or it might be put 
thus: Matthew records the sayings of Jesus; Mark, 
His mighty acts; Luke reveals His human heart; 
John, the secrets of His divine nature. But all of 
these classifications are necessarily imperfect. Each 
evangelist was to some extent an independent wit- 
ness; yet the four separate gospels unite together in 
forming one stream of historic testimony in behalf of 
the manifestation of God in human life, which has 
made glad the waste places of the earth, and has made 
the wilderness to blossom as the rose. 



THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

THE WRITER 

The man with whose name the first gospel is con- 
nected was a collector of customs from merchants 
crossing the Sea of Galilee. The name given to him 
by Mark and Luke is Levi. He calls himself by his 
Christian name "Matthew," but with a touch of 
humility adds, "the publican," in reference to the 
unsavory profession which he had abandoned. He 
was the son of Alphaeus (Mark ii. 14); probably not 
the Alphaeus mentioned as the father of James, and a 
member of the apostolic band (Matt. x. 3; Mark 
iii. 18). His duties as a publican would bring him into 
disrepute with his countrymen, who hated all agents 
of the foreign despotism under which they groaned. 
The social ostracism from which men of this class 
usually suffered may have produced, or may have fos- 
tered, that rapacity and avarice for which publicans 
were noted. It was an audacious act to choose a fol- 
lower from this class. But Jesus, who had probably often 
marked the man Levi at his post, called him one day to 
follow Him, and he obeyed. The beginning of the new 
career was celebrated by the assumption or bestowal of 
the new name, "Matthew," which signifies "the gift 
of God," and by a feast which he gave in honor of his 
new master, and to which many of his former associ- 
ates were invited (Luke v. 29). Matthew, who is 

H 



The Gospel According to Matthew 15 



a modest man, and keeps himself well in the back- 
ground, veils the fact that the feast of which he makes 
mention was his farewell to the world, that interest- 
ing bit of information being supplied by Mark and 
Luke. If, like most publicans, he was a wealthy man, 
the hint that "he forsook all" to follow Jesus is sig- 
nificant. This event, together with the appearance of 
his name in each of the four lists of apostles, is all 
that we know of him. From his being named in con- 
nection with Thomas "the twin," some have thought 
that they were brothers. But in the great silence that 
fell over his life all must be left to conjecture. Had 
it not been for the connection of his name with the 
first gospel, he would have passed quite from the 
notice of the Church. But even this fact is significant 
as bearing witness to the validity of that connection, 
for no writer of a spurious record would have thought 
of naming it after so obscure a member of the apos- 
tolic group. Tradition, however, was busy with his 
name, and it asserted that after remaining in Jerusa- 
lem for some fifteen years following the Ascension, he 
departed for the East, to fulfill the wider ministries of 
his apostolic office. 

SOURCES 

It is the testimony of the early fathers that Matthew 
wrote a gospel in Hebrew (or Aramaic).* It becomes 
a question, therefore, as to the relation of that gospel 
to our Greek gospel of Matthew. That the latter is 
not a direct translation seems clear. It bears evi- 
dence of passing through the rounding and smoothing 

*Papias says "Matthew accordingly composed the oracles (logia or 'say- 
ings') in the Hebrew dialect, and each one interpreted them as he was able," 
-*-Uuseb. Hist. Eccl. iii. 40, 



i6 



The Teachings of the Books 



process of oral use before being committed to writing. 
Moreover, if, as many suppose, the Aramaic gospel of 
Matthew is to be identified with the so-called "Gospel 
according to the Hebrews," of which only a few frag- 
ments remain, the obvious differences between these 
fragments and our gospel further complicate the 
problem. It is believed that suggestions approaching 
a solution maybe set down as follows : (i) A collec- 
tion of narratives dealing with the life of Jesus, and 
put into form by Peter from his own personal knowl- 
edge of the facts, circulated as an oral tradition in the 
earliest circle of believers, and was at a latter time 
written by Mark in practically the form in which we 
now possess the second gospel. (2) The apostle 
Matthew, in the period before he left Jerusalem, 
taught and wrote down in Aramaic a collection, chiefly 
sayings or discourses of Jesus, which was soon trans- 
lated into Greek, either by himself or some of his 
pupils, and formed, together with the Petrine narra- 
tive, the foundation of our first gospel. While it is 
impossible to decide whether the relation of the apos- 
tle Matthew to the gospel is primary or secondary, it 
is quite clear that the sources are apostolic, as coming 
from himself and Peter, and are therefore of the high- 
est value. 

CHARACTERISTICS 

The gospel of Matthew is marked by certain char- 
acteristics which give it a distinct and impressive indi- 
viduality. Among the more striking of these may be 
named : 

1. The tendency to group the materials about cer- 
tain centers or leading ideas. This appears espe- 



The Gospel According to Matthew 17 



cially in the massing together of the utterances of 
our Lord, which in the other gospels are distributed 
over wide portions of His ministry. An example of 
this may be observed in the treatment of the Sermon 
on the Mount (v.-vii.), which Luke scatters through 
several periods of Jesus' work, and which may be 
regarded as embodying the most striking utterances 
of His whole ministry. The collection of Christ's 
teachings found in Matthew is called "The Sermon 
on the Mount," and yet the Scriptures nowhere speak 
of a formal discourse of Jesus by such a name. 
Indeed, the parallel account given in Luke vi. expressly 
states that after spending all night in prayer on the 
mountain, and choosing the Twelve from the larger 
circle of His disciples, He came down into the plain, 
and there discoursed to a great multitude, after work- 
ing certain miracles of healing. We have, therefore, 
clear indications that at some time in the earlier 
ministry of Jesus a somewhat formal statement of His 
purpose was made by Him. Matt, v.-vii. and Luke 
vi. probably give us the substance of what Jesus was 
constantly preaching. According to Matthew's fash- 
ion of grouping together materials of the same char- 
acter, we have here gathered a variety of those brief 
and pithy utterances which formed such an important 
feature of Jesus' discourses. He was constantly 
preaching or talking to those whom He met, and His 
conversation, passing often into discourse as His audi- 
ence increased, deals continually with such ideas as 
these chapters contain. One may almost venture to 
believe that the so-called Sermon on the Mount was 
the one great sermon of Jesus' life, which He was fre- 
quently preaching with variation of material and illus- 



1 8 The Teachings of the Books 



tration, but with continued insistence upon its great 
themes. 

The same grouping of material is seen in the 
instructions to the disciples (x.), which by comparison 
with Luke will be seen to combine the parting words 
to both the Twelve and the Seventy (Luke ix. 1,2; x. 1) ; 
the massing of seven parables in one continuous nar- 
rative at the first introduction of parabolic teaching 
(xiii.), and of other groups of parables at later periods 
(xxi. 28-xxii. 14; xxv.); and the discourse on the Last 
Things (xxiv.), in which, however, Mark is for the 
most part closely followed. It is evident that this 
gospel does not present the events or discourses in 
their chronological order, but groups the material 
from different periods about common ideas. 

2. On comparing this gospel with Mark it is to be 
noted that there are both abbreviations and additions. 
Mark is vivid and detailed in describing events, and 
his work has in a striking degree the quality which 
belongs to an eye-witness. In this is seen the Petrine 
influence. In narratives of events the gospel of 
Matthew leaves out many of these details, as being 
less concerned with the accessories of the picture, and 
as hastening on to the teachings involved. But the 
first gospel adds to the Petrine material in many 
instances, for the most part in the region of teaching, 
and not a few of these additions bear evidence of 
being the product of the process of oral growth, after 
the original teaching began to circulate. Some of 
these additions essentially modify the older state- 
ments, and some even interrupt the thought. Exam- 
ples of this may be seen in such appended phrases as 
"thy coming and the end of the age" (xxiv. 3), 



The Gospel According to Matthew 19 



"neither on the Sabbath" (xxiv. 20), the modification 
of the statement of Jesus regarding divorce by the 
additional words "for every cause" (xix. 3), and "ex- 
cept for fornication" (xix. 9), and in such passages as 
xii. 40, xix. 28, xxvii. 51-53, xxiv. 10-13, 26-28. 

3. This gospel is didactic. It has a very decided 
theological bent.* Where it supplies information 
concerning our Lord which is not found in the other 
gospels, it will be noticed that in most cases such 
additional material is intended to enforce teachings, 
not to narrate incidents. Even where the record of 
events is more elaborate than that of Mark, it will be 
seen that the events themselves have a direct didactic 
value, as in the cases of the Temptation, the Plucking 
of the Grain, or Peter's Confession. It is especially the 
gospel of discourses. Such collections of sayings as 
the Teaching on the Hill, the Instructions to the 
Twelve, the various groups of parables, and the Dis- 
course on Final Things, are among the most character- 
istic features of this great book. 

4. It is the Jewish gospel. It emphasizes the con- 
nection between the past national experiences and the 
life of Jesus. The first and third gospels contain 
most of the Petrine narrative, which is given in its 
simplest form by Mark. In addition to this they 
record much of that material known as the "utter- 
ances of Jesus," which has been recognized as the 
second of our original sources. The point in which 
the gospel of Matthew differs most strikingly from 
Mark and Luke is in the large national element which 
it contributes. All the gospels quote the Old Testa- 

* It is worth noting that Matthew is the only one of the synoptists who 
gives a theological definition of the work of Christ. See xx. 27,28, which 
contains the seed of the Pauline theology. 



20 The Teachings of the Books 



ment to a certain degree, and see in the life of Jesus 
striking fulfillments of its statements; but the first 
gospel exhibits this feature to a degree unapproached 
by the others. The disciples, through Peter, gave 
expression to their perception of the fact that Jesus 
was the expected Jewish Messiah (Matt. xvi. 16). 
This was the keynote of the early preaching among 
the Jews. No other phase of the gospel was so signi- 
ficant to them as this. Among the Jewish Christians 
the Old Testament was therefore searched with fresh 
interest to discover predictions of the Messiah; and 
wherever such were found they were eagerly seized 
upon as proofs that Jesus was indeed the Coming One. 
The gospel of Matthew is the best evidence of this 
process. Its references to the Old Testament are very 
numerous. They show not so much that the gospel 
was addressed to the Jewish people as that it had its 
origin in a circle of Jewish thought where the final 
proof of a statement was a quotation from the Old 
Testament, whose primary or remote applicability to 
the matter in hand could be shown. No doubt a 
treatment of the life of Jesus linked so closely with 
utterances of the Jewish Scriptures was also most 
effective in dealing with non-Christian Jews, but prob- 
ably the reason for this feature of the gospel lies in 
the interest attaching to the discovery of Christ in the 
Old Testament, rather than in the directly apologetic 
purpose of the writer. Examples of the more direct 
Messianic statements quoted may be found in the 
assertion of Micah (v. 2) that the Messianic deliverer 
should come forth from Bethlehem (Matt. ii. 6) ; in 
the portrait of the Suffering Servant of God, taking 
upon him our infirmities (Isa. liii. 4, cf. ; Matt. 



The Gospel According to Matthew 21 



viii. 17); in the description of his quiet yet effective 
redemptive methods (Isa. xlii. 1-4, cf. ; Matt. xii. 17); 
in the words of Jesus, "The Son of Man goeth, as it is 
written of Him" (Matt. xxvi. 24), where the reference 
is not specific but general, and refers to statements 
like those of Isaiah liii. concerning the tragic outcome 
of the Servant's career; and in the language quoted 
by Jesus from Zech. xiii. 7. 

There are also many passages in the Old Testa- 
ment which refer to events in the time of the 
writer, or in the past, narrating some episode in 
national or individual experience, or voicing a proph- 
ecy or a hope for the immediate future, in which the 
early disciples saw statements which seemed to fit 
admirably into certain events in the life of our Saviour; 
and moved by the tendency of the religious teachers 
of the age to discover remote and hidden meanings in 
the Scripture, or impressed by the profounder truth 
that the unfulfilled life-work of the nation, Israel, as 
the Servant of God was taken up and brought to -a 
glorious accomplishment by the greater Servant of 
God, the Messiah, they did not hesitate to affirm that 
such Scriptures were "fulfilled" in Jesus; not so much, 
however, as predictions come to pass, as events in 
history which find their larger meaning and more 
significant expression in later events. In this way 
episodes in the life of the nation were seen to have 
significant parallels, and to come to their fuller mean- 
ing — i. <?., to be "fulfilled" in events in the life of 
Christ. Examples of this may be seen in the depar- 
ture of Israel from Egypt (Hos. xi. 1, cf. ; Matt. ii. 15) ; 
the mourning of Hebrew mothers when their children 
were carried away to Babylon (Jer.. xxxi. 15-17, cf. ; 



11 



The Teachings of the Books 



Matt. ii. 17) ; and the prediction of Isaiah that Tiglath 
Pileser would soon retire from the north country (Isa. 
ix. if; cf. Matt. iv. 14). There is even observable in 
some cases a disposition to alter slightly the words 
and sense of the Old Testament statement, in order 
to make it agree more closely with some particular 
event in the life of Jesus, as may be seen in the 
change in Matt. iii. 3, as compared with Isa. xl. 3, 
where the prophet had spoken of a voice which pro- 
claimed the preparation of a highway in the wilderness 
on which the exiled Israelites could return home, 
whereas in the later use the language is made to refer 
to the voice in the wilderness — i. e., John the Baptist. 
In Matt. xxi. 4, two animals are named, whereas in 
the earlier account (Mark xi. 1 f)^>nly one is mentioned 
— the change seemingly resulting from a desire to make 
the narrative accord with Zech. ix. 9; for, as the 
parallelism shows, only one animal is there referred 
to. A similar instance is given in Matt, xxvii. 9. 
The statement in Acts i. 18, that Judas purchased 
with the price of the betrayal a field, which from his 
mysterious and dreadful death there was known as 
the Field of Blood, is said to have been a fulfillment 
of Zech. xi. 12, 13. However, what is there stated is 
that a shepherd of God's people, upon receiving only 
an insignificant reward for his service, publicly 
rejected it, throwing it on the temple floor at the feet 
of the potter. The story of Matthew that Judas, 
stricken with remorse, threw the silver on the floor of 
the temple, and went out to commit suicide, the 
priests purchasing with the blood money the potter's 
field — which from that fact was called the Field of 
Blood — has but slight relevancy to the incident re- 



The Gospel According to Matthew 23 



corded by Zechariah. Such changes are hardly to be 
reckoned as deliberate modifications of facts. They 
grow naturally out of the process of oral repetition 
before the material has received a written form; and 
they occur naturally under the influence of the Old 
Testament records with which the events connect 
themselves. The early Christians "searched the 
Scriptures," and they found Christ everywhere. The 
profound significance of this fact is apparent to the 
student of the New Testament. The gospel of Mat- 
thew records frequent references to the Hebrew Scrip- 
tures in the teaching of Jesus, as shown in such 
passages as ix. 13; xxi. 13, 16, 42; xxii. 31, 37. 

Yet this gospel cannot be called Jewish in any nar- 
row or partisan sense, for it names such foreigners as 
Ruth and Rahab among the ancestors of our Lord; it 
records the visit of the Magi to honor Him at His 
birth (ii. 1-12); it tells of His visit to the regions be- 
yond Palestine, and the healing of the heathen girl 
(xv. 21), and declares that the evangel of salvation is to 
be carried to all nations (xxiv. 14, xxviii. 19). More- 
over, its translation of such Aramaic words as Imman- 
uel (i. 23), Golgotha (xxvii. 33), and the prayer on the 
cross (xxvii. 46) shows that it was designed to circulate 
in non-Jewish communities, where such interpretations 
were necessary. 

5. In this gospel there is a certain element of stern- 
ness and severity which does not appear elsewhere in 
the reported teachings of Jesus. It alone records the 
parables of judgment — namely, that of the tares, the 
drag-net, the ten virgins, and the rejection of the goats. 
It is this gospel which gives the eightfold denunciation 
of the scribes and Pharisees (xxiii, 13-36), and reports 



24 The Teachings of the Books 



the only occasion on which Jesus applied to them the 
terrible words of John, "serpents, offspring of vipers" 
(xii. 34, xxiii. 33). It also recalls the frightful responsi- 
bility for the death of Jesus incurred by the leaders 
of the nation when they sought to ease the troubled 
conscience of Pilate with the ominous words, "His 
blood be on us and on our children" (xxvii. 25). 

THE SITUATION 

The date at which the gospel of Malthew was put 
into its written form was probably not far from the 
year 70 A. D. Many of its expressions leave the 
impression that the fall of Jerusalem may have 
occurred. But it must be remembered that the mate- 
rial may have taken form some time earlier, before the 
fall of the city. It will be safe to place the writing 
in the early part of the seventh decade of the first 
century. 

Growing out of the situation, we have what paint- 
ers call the atmosphere of the picture. We can see 
what formative forces were at work in the writer's 
mind. These were (1) the Messianic hope; (2) the 
national spirit, which at that time beat strongly in the 
Jewish breast; (3) the political and religious unrest 
of the times; (4) The general expectancy that some- 
thing of stupendous eventfulness was about to happen. 

DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK 

These are five in number. (1) Preparations, includ- 
ing all that lies between the birth of Jesus and His 
baptism (i.-iv.). (2) His Galilean ministry, which was 
one of marked success. During this period the 
Twelve were chosen; miracles were wrought; the Ser- 



The Gospel According to Matthew 25 



mon on the Mount delivered (iv.-vii.). (3) The time of 
opposition (xii.-xvi.). As the opposition deepened the 
introduction of the parable into His teaching took 
place, it being adapted to reveal the truth to His 
disciples, and to conceal it from his opposers. (4) 
The shadow of the cross (xvi.-xxi.). (5) The final week 
(xxi.-xxviii.), with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, 
the cleansing of the temple, the tragedy of Calvary, 
the resurrection, the final interview with the disciples, 
and the great commission. 

ARRANGEMENT OF MATERIALS 

The writer of this gospel selects and arranges his 
materials according to his own subjective conception 
of Jesus and His work. The order which he observes, 
while neither strictly logical nor chronological, gives, 
with an artlessness which is akin to the highest art, a 
record of the life of Jesus which is characterized by 
symmetry and unity. Besides central ideas around 
which events are grouped, there is the grouping of 
things in twos and sevens." But from the fact that we 
find seven parables thrown together in one group, we 
are not to infer that they were spoken at one time. 
In Matthew's gospel there is no straining after effect. 
He is natural, unaffected, simple, sublime in his sim- 
plicity. If not much of an actor, he was a keen 
observer. He mused until the fire burned. He does 
not, like John, weave his own opinions into his narra- 
tive. He aims to put things down just as they hap- 
pened. The personal element is obliterated. The 
eloquence of the book is the eloquence which belongs 
not to the writer, but to his theme. He was not a 
great man, but he had a great subject, and he allowed 



26 



The Teachings of the Books 



himself to be carried along by it. If the gospel of 
Mark is like a rushing mountain torrent, the gospel of 
Matthew is like a majestic river, which increases in 
volume as it sweeps onward. It is not a piece of 
literary patch-work. Its materials are woven together 
into one harmonious whole. It has unity, continuity, 
increase, climax. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

1. This gospel shows the unity and progressiveness of 
the revelation which God has given to man in His Word. 
It forms the connecting link between the Old Dispen- 
sation and the New. Although not the oldest gospel, 
by a sure instinct — or rather, let us say, by a guid- 
ing Providence — it has been placed first in the New 
Testament canon.* It is preeminently the gospel of 
prophetic fulfillment. One of its oft-repeated phrases 
is, "that it might be fulfilled." It has upwards of 
sixty citations from the Old Testament, all of which 
contain references to things which, whatever may have 
been their original application, are believed to find 
their complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Christian- 
ity is represented as having its roots in the Old Testa- 
ment. It is the ripened fruit of Judaism; it is Juda- 
ism enlarged and spiritualized; it is Messianic hope 
brought to fruition. In the words of Jesus, "I am 
not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (v. 17), we have 
"a doctrinal epitome of this gospel." (Farrar.) 

2. This gospel proves that Jesus is the Messiah promised 

*The word " canon " means primarily a measuring- rod, or rule. Its 
secondary meaning' is " that by which things are measured or tested." In 
this sense it is applied to the accepted collection of the books of the Bible, 
which supply the test of truth, 



The Gospel According to Matthew 27 



in the Jewish Scriptures. It may be putting the matter 
too strongly to say that this is its fixed and definite 
aim. Looking into the Jewish Scriptures, Matthew 
saw what he was prepared to see, and he reported 
what he saw. His standpoint is Jewish; the flavor of 
his gospel is Jewish. His gospel is specially adapted 
to the spiritual needs of his countrymen. Its opening 
words, "the genealogical roll of Jesus the Christ, Son 
of David, Son of Abraham," connect the subject of 
the book with the fulfillment of Messianic hopes. 
Jesus is spoken of six times as "the Son of David"; 
Jerusalem is "the Holy City," "the City of the Great 
King"; the God whom Jesus reveals is "Israel's 
God"; the messengers of Jesus are sent "to the lost 
sheep of the house of Israel." The entire setting of 
the book is Jewish. Its culminating point is the iden- 
tification of the advent of Jesus of Nazareth with the 
advent of the Jews' Messiah.* 

3. In Matthew's gospel the central idea is the kingdom 
of God, and the central aim is the exhibition of Jesus 
Christ as the one by whom the kingdom of God was 
to be brought in. In Jesus of Nazareth the golden 
dream of Israel's seers touching that kingdom which 
is "the true human ideal" was to be realized. Matthew 
is the only one of the synoptistsf who uses the expres- 
sion "the kingdom of heaven," or more literally, "the 
kingdom of the heavens"; and with him that expres- 

*The doctrine of the coming of a personal Messiah, says Dr. Felix Adler, 
the celebrated Hebrew scholar, "is the purple thread which runs through the 
writings of our prophets and historians." And one of the thirteen articles 
which every Israelite is enjoined to rehearse daily is, "I believe with a per- 
fect heart that the Messiah will come: and although his coming be delayed, 
nevertheless will I daily expect him." 

IThe first three evangelists are called " S3moptists," because their gospels 
can be "'seen together," and the common elements which they contain can 
be systematized and arranged in tabular form. The fourth gospel stands by 
itself. 



28 The Teachings of the Books 



sion is an equivalent for "the kingdom of God."* 
Inwardly considered the kingdom of heaven is the 
reign of God in the heart; outwardly considered it is 
the realm over which He rules as King. 

The rule of God on earth is not only a royal rule, it 
is a heavenly rule. It is heaven's order brought down 
into this disordered world; it is the world-end of God's 
eternal purpose of redemption. Matthew's gospel is 
the good news of the coming of "a kingdom which is 
the realization of righteousness in the life of human- 
ity." (Mulford.) 

4. In Matthew's gospel Jesus Christ is set forth as the 
appointed head of the Messianic kingdom. The glad 
evangel proclaimed to the people of Israel was the ad- 
vent of their king, in whom all their hopes were bound 
up. (1) Jesus is shown to be of royal descent. He 
is "the Son of David," "the hero king of Israel," and 
heir of the promised kingdom (i. 1). (2) His coming 
is heralded as the coming of a king (ii. 1-12). (3) He 
is the expected king for whom all the world was anx- 
iously waiting. The Magi, as representatives of the 
Gentile world, come to Jerusalem, inquiring, "Where 
is He that is born king of the Jews?" (ii. 2). (4) He 
is publicly inaugurated by baptism into his Messianic 
mission (iii. 13-17). (5) He gathers the twelve 
around Him, constituting them His ambassadors (iv. 
17-22). f (6) He preaches "the gospel of the kingdom," 

*Jesus did not coin the phrases, " the kingdom of God" and "the king- 
dom of heaven." He found them in current use, and by adopting them 
gained the attention of the people. He however put into these familiar words 
a new content, exalting them above the idealism of the prophets, from which 
the people of Israel had miserably fallen. 

tThe method of Jesus was to select and train choice men to be His rep- 
resentatives. His public ministry, which was brief in duration and restrict- 
ed in area, was a sort of clinic for the special benefit of those who after His 
departure were to carry his gospel to wider circles. The training of the 
Twelve to which He particularly devoted Himself reveals His plan for the prop- 
agation of His kingdom. 



The Gospel According to Matthew 



29 



the good news of the speedy establishment of the 
reign of God on the earth (iv. 23). Jesus did not 
preach the gospel of salvation; He came that there 
might be a gospel of salvation to preach. He is the 
gospel of salvation; He preached the gospel of the 
kingdom. (7) He promulgates the laws of His king- 
dom (v.-vii.). The Sermon on the Hill is the manifesto 
of the King, "the Magna Charta of the new kingdom" 
(Tholuck). It is a declaration of the righteousness of 
the kingdom of heaven in its relation to the new the- 
ocracy. (8) He, as the royal Lawgiver, proclaims the 
law of love to be the generic law of His kingdom. In 
love the whole law is comprehended (xxii. 40). The 
apostle James calls love "the royal law." But it is 
more than a law; it is also the vital root from which 
the kingdom grows. (9) Under a series of seven par- 
ables Jesus describes the nature of the kingdom (xiii.) 
The parable of the sower shows the seminal principle 
to be the one by which His kingdom is propagated; 
the seed being "the word of the kingdom"; that of 
the tares shows "the gathering out of His kingdom of 
things that cause stumbling and them that do iniquity" ; 
that of the mustard seed shows its outward growth; 
that of the leaven its secret and expansive power; 
that of the treasure hid in the field represents it as a 
prized possession unexpectedly found; that of the 
merchantman seeking goodly pearls as the highest 
good eagerly sought after; that of the draw-net as a 
process of separation and purification which was to 
take place at the end of the Jewish age. (10) He 
announces the privileges of His kingdom under the 
figure of a royal feast (xxii.). Luke says, l4 A certain 
man made a great supper." Matthew puts it, "The 



30 The Teachings of the Books 



kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king who 
made a marriage feast for his son." To this royal 
feast are all invited, (n) His kingship is unwittingly- 
acknowledged by His enemies. By the soldiers 
(xxvii. 20); by Pilate (xxvii. 37); by the chief priests 
(xxvii. 42). (12) As king He judges from His throne 
of glory: (a) "His own servants," the Jewish people 
(xxv. 14-30) ; (b) the Gentile nations (xxv. 31-46). 
Notice the difference in the criterion of judgment in 
the two cases. In the judgment of the Jews the 
criterion consists of fidelity to definite instruction; in 
the judgment of the Gentiles it consists of fidelity to 
the inward spirit and principle of benevolence. The 
latter is the judgment of the. present age. (13) He 
delegates to His disciples the kingly authority with 
which He is invested (xxviii. 19). 

5. The unfolding of the ki?igdom. (1) The kingdom 
as foretold (ii. 6). (2) As at hand (iii. 2). John the 
Baptist heralded the coming of a kingdom into which 
he himself did not enter (xi. 11). (3) As come (xii. 28). 
It is already in the world, but it is yet to attain 
more perfect form. (4) As assailed by violent men, 
who attempt to take it by force (xi. 12).* (5) As a 
realized ideal (vi. 10). Jesus certainly believed in the 
applicability of His teaching, and He now waits for 
the world to make it the basis of a new society. All 
hope for the world lies in obedience to the law that 
fell from His lips. (6) As progressive (xiii), unfolding 
by the power of its own inherent life. (7) As taken 

*The violence here referred to is not something- to be commended, but 
something to be condemned. We are not to " batter the gate of heaven with 
storms ol prayer " till God capitulates. Heaven's gate is open, not barred. 
Nor are we to try to advance the kingdom of God by substituting force of 
arms lor force of argument. " It is not apostolical," says Erasmus, " to wield 
the iron sword." The kingdom of heaven is not to be taken by force, but by 
the power of truth and love, 



The Gospel According to Matthew 31 



from the Jews, "the sons of the kingdom" who 
are cast into the outer darkness (viii. 12), despoiled 
of the vineyard which they have neglected (xxi. 43) y 
and blasted with perpetual barrenness (xxi. 19). This 
rejection is national, not individual. When this is 
kept in mind, the seeming severity of Jesus in the 
acted parable of the cursing of the barren fig-tree is 
taken away. (8) As widened to include the Gentiles 
(xii. 21, xxi. 43). (9) As made visible to those who 
have spiritual discernment (xvi. 28). (10) As triumph- 
ing through judgment. Judgment is sent forth unto 
victory; that is, by judgment the kingdom is advanced 
(xii. 20). (n) As spiritual; being founded upon spir- 
itual facts, and built up by spiritual forces.* Viewed 
broadly the kingdom is external and internal, individ- 
ual and social. But its distinguishing quality under 
all its forms is its spirituality (xiii. 43). The Jews, 
discerning its spiritual character, would have none of 
it. The kingdom that they sought was a new political 
order, not a new social order ; the reign of an Israelitish 
king rather than the reign of God; a reign of out- 
ward glory rather than the reign of righteousness. 
(12) As universal, embracing all men in its final devel- 
opment (viii. 11). The aim of Matthew is to show 
that the religion of Jesus, which began as a spiritual- 
ized Judaism, was destined to burst its Jewish shell 
and grow into a world-religion. It was to find its 
embodiment, not in the temple, but in living souls, 
who should become "the habitation of God in the 
Spirit. " (13) As eternal, a kingdom that shall have no 

*Jesus invariably subordinated physical power to spiritual ends. When, 
at the time of His baptism, He became fully conscious of the possession of 
divine power, He was tempted to use it for His own advantage or glorv. His 
triumph over this temptation reveals His determination to depend solely upon 
spiritual forces for the advancement of His Kingdom. 



The Teachings of the Books 



end. "Prepared from the foundation of the world" 
(xxv. 34). 

6. Characteristics of those who are members of the 
kingdom. (1) A sevenfold beatitude is pronounced 
upon them because of the kingliness of their charac- 
ter* (v. 3-12). (2) They are poor in spirit (v. 3). (3) 
They are peacemakers (v. 9). (4) They endure per- 
secution for righteousness' sake (v. 10). (5) They 
teach and do the least of Christ's commandments 
(v. 19) — not with the ceremonial legalism of the Phari- 
sees, who strained out a gnat and swallowed a camel 
(xxiii. 24), but with a spirit of sweet submissiveness 
which seeks to know and do all of the Master's will. 
(6) They pray for the coming of the kingdom (vi. 14), 
making their life one continuous prayer for its enlarge- 
ment. (8) They live for the kingdom, making it the 
primal object of all their effort (vi. 33). In the service 
of the kingdom their life finds its true end. (9) They 
are charitable (vii. 1-5). (10) They are self-denying 
(xvi. 24). (ti) They are humble and childlike 
(xviii. 4). (12) They minister to the needy and dis- 
tressed because they belong to Christ (xxv. 34). 
"They are fully subject to God through boundless 
confidence in Him and unbounded love for their 
neighbor." (Herrmann). It is like king, like subjects. 
The greatest in the kingdom are those who most 
closely resemble their Lord. 

7. Who are excluded from the kingdom! (1) Formal- 
ists (v. 20). (2) The morally worthless (xiii. 47). (3) 
The unforgiving (xviii. 35). (4) The spiritually sloth- 
ful (xxv. 26). (5) The unrepentant (xviii. 3). (6) The 
careless guests who have not on the robe of personal 

♦Numerically the beatitudes are nine, topically they are seven, 



The Gospel According to Matthew 33 



righteousness (xxii. 13). (7) The unwatchful (xxv. 12). 
(8) The selfish (xxv. 41). (9) The rich while not 
necessarily excluded, enter with difficulty (xix. 23). 
(10) The publicans and the harlots enter before the 
priests and elders (xxi. 31). 

8. Relations of the subjects of the kingdom to one 
another. (1) They acknowledge a common paternity 
and a common brotherhood. Sons of God, they are 
brothers one of another (vi. 9). (2) They manifest 
fraternal interest in each other's welfare. They do 
not each pray "Give me my daily bread, but give us 
our daily bread" — our needful bread, the bread of our 
necessity, our sustenance for to-day, our bread for 
the coming day (vi. 11). The Lord's Prayer is through- 
out a social, not an individualistic prayer. (3) They 
recognize Christ as Master of the new brotherhood, 
and themselves as servants one of another under Him 
(xxiii. 8). (4) Embraced in a spiritual solidarity they 
feel bound to each other in covenant obligations 
(xxvi. 28). (5) As members of one brotherhood they 
are called upon to perform reciprocal duties. They 
are not to cause one another to stumble (xviii. 6), 
They are to help one another to glorify God (v. 16). 
Being brothers, they are to act brotherly. 

9. Conditions of entering the kingdom. (1) Faith, 
or confidence in the King. This condition is funda- 
mental, but it is implied rather than expressed. 
And inasmuch as faith cannot act in the dark, some 
measure of knowledge is assumed as necessary to its 
existence. (2) Repentance, or change of mind (iv. 17).* 

*The call to repentance was urgent. Already was "the axe laid unto the 
root of the tree. (iii. 10.) That is, it was laid up against the root of the 
tree, while the woodman was getting ready to use it. Soon the stroke of 
doom would fall and the venerable tree of the Jewish theocracy would come 
down with a crash. The time of respite was brief. 



34 The Teachings of the Books 



The Greek term metanoia literally means ''thinking 
with"; that is, the act of thinking with God; taking 
His view of things, thinking His thoughts after Him. 
The reason why emphasis is here put upon repentance 
is because the Gospel of Matthew, being addressed to 
Jews, seeks to re-echo and re-enforce the prophetic call 
of the Old Testament, which was a call to repentance 
— a call, in other words, to turn from sin to God. 
(3) Reformation, or change of life, which is the 
practical side of repentance (iii. 8). (4) Self-sur- 
render, or submission to the King (xvi. 24). (5) 
Childlike confidence and simplicity, or humility before 
the King (xviii. 3). 

10. As touching the King. (1) He came in disguise. 
The world rulers did not know Him (ii. 1) (2) His 
coming stirred the world (ii. 1-9). (3) His life on earth 
was one of humiliation (xxi. 5). (4) Royal authority 
belongs to Him by right. The kingdoms of the world 
which Satan offered to Him in the wilderness were 
already His (iv. 8). (5) His mediatorial reign has 
already begun. His kingdom came in spiritual power 
at the end of the Jewish age. When the Jewish age 
closed, the Christian age opened. Endless confusion 
has arisen from translating the expression, "the end 
of the age," by the words "the end of the world." 
The crisis that is constantly referred to as imminent 
is not the end of the world, but the end, or "con- 
summation," of the Jewish age (xiv. 3). Christ came 
the first time in the flesh "at the end of the age," 
i. e. , of the Jewish age; He came the second time in 
the presence and power of the Spirit at the begin- 
ning of the new age, the age of the kingdom. Of 



The Gospel According to Matthew 35 



the new age, which is now running its glorious course, 
He is King. (6) His promise that some of those who 
listened to Him would live to see Him coming in His 
kingdom has been literally fulfilled (xvi. 28). The 
destruction of Jerusalem was not the second coming 
of Christ, it was the sign of His second coming. The 
double question, "When shall these things be, and 
what shall be the sign of Thy presence?" (xxiv. 3) 
implies that the desolating judgments about to fall 
upon the Jewish nation had their significance as the 
outward signs of a stupendous spiritual fact. They 
were the visible tokens of our Lord's Parousia, or 
spiritual presence. (7) Christ, who is now present in 
kingly power, is ruling by His Spirit in the empire of 
the soul (xvii. 20). (8) His throne of power is the 
cross. He rules the world through sacrifice (xxvi. 
37-55)- (9) A s the world's King He is the world's 
Judge (xxv. 34). The work of judgment with which 
His kingdom was ushered in still goes on. The 
judgment-seat of Christ is already erected. Before it 
all men are summoned. The ethics of Christ are be- 
coming more and more the recognized standard of 
judgment for nations and individuals. He is now 
carrying on a process of judgment which is to end in 
a crisis. The picture of the age-long judgment of 
the Jewish nation ending in a day of judgment may be 
fitted to the larger frame of universal history and the 
end of the ages. Days of judgment always end in a 
judgment day. (10) His kingdom is developing 
throughout the Christian centuries. It grows through 
its own expansive power — by accretion, and by con- 
quest. Over all opposition it will be finally trium- 



36 The Teachings of the Books 

phant. The Christ who was crucified is the King of 
Glory. The Christ who conquered death will con- 
quer all. Before the scepter of His omnipotent love 
every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess 
that He is Lord. 



THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK 



THE WRITER 

Among the Jewish Christians living in Jerusalem in 
the days following Pentecost was a woman named 
Mary, whose home was a rendezvous for the mem- 
bers of the Church, including the apostles (Acts xii. 12). 
She had a son whose Jewish name was John, but who, 
in accordance with the custom of the time among his 
people,* had a Gentile name, Mark or Marcus 
(Acts xii. 25). He was related to Barnabas as nephew, 
or more probably cousin (Col. iv. 10), and may have 
owed his conversion to Peter, who refers to him as a 
son in the faith (I. Pet. v. 13). For several years 
Peter was the leading figure in the Jerusalem church, 
and Mark as a young man of promise would natur- 
ally be used by him in Christian work. The work 
most needed in this period was that of teaching, 
especially the giving of instruction in the story of 
Jesus' life. There were no written narratives at 
first. It is not likely that the Church at this time 
so much as thought of any other form of narrative 
than oral recitals of the ministry of our Lord. 
From no source would such teaching come more 
naturally than from Peter, and this dissemination 

*The common practice among the Jews was that of giving children one 
name for use in Jewish circles and another by which they were Known among 
the Gentiles. Cf. Saul and Paul, Cephas and Peter, Levi and Matthew, 
Joseph and Barnabas. 

37 



38 The Teachings of the Books 



of the "teaching" of the apostles (Acts ii. 42) was 
one of the earliest and most important ministries of 
the Church, as the frequent use of the words "teach- 
ers" and "pupils," or "instructed" (literally, "cate- 
chised") shows. In this instruction, constantly- 
repeated, the oral narratives cf the work of Jesus 
became a common possession of the Jerusalem Church, 
and tended, as is usual in the Orient, to preserve their 
original form. The earliest narrative was probably 
Aramaic, but its different sections would naturally 
find translation into Greek, for the benefit of those 
Hellenistic Jews who before long made a considerable 
part of the Jerusalem Church (Acts vi. 1). Mark may 
have been one of the teachers who repeated the gos- 
pel message put into form by Peter. 

The home of Mark was probably used by the dis- 
ciples as a place of meeting, and may have been the 
scene of the Last Supper and of the descent of 
the Spirit. The effort has been made to identify 
John Mark as the young man who narrowly escaped 
arrest in Gethsemane (Mark xiv. 51, 52), but this is 
mere conjecture. However, he must have had the 
most favorable opportunities for knowing the leading 
members of the Church. When Barnabas and Saul 
visited Jerusalem they may have been guests at his 
home. The vividness of the narrative in Acts xii. 1- 
19 suggests that Luke may have learned the facts 
from Paul, who was in Jerusalem with Barnabas about 
this time. Certain it is, that Mark left his mother 
and returned to Antioch with them (Acts xii. 25). If 
he had been a co-worker and assistant of Peter in 
the ministry of teaching, his departure for a new 
work may be explained on the ground of Peter's 



The Gospel According to Mark 39 



withdrawal more and more from Jerusalem to engage 
in the wider activities of the apostolic office (Acts 
ix. 32-43). Soon after their arrival at Antioch Barna- 
bas and Paul started on an evangelizing tour, and 
Mark went with them (Acts xiii. 5) ; but after they 
had left Cyprus and reached Perga, on the coast of 
Asia Minor, he deserted them and returned to Jerusa- 
lem (Acts xiii. 13). His motive may be found in the 
hardships of such a missionary career, or in his fear for 
his mother's safety in Jerusalem, where the Christians 
were in danger of frequent persecution; but certain it 
is that his loss was felt by Paul, who strongly disap- 
proved of his departure, and viewed it as a defection 
from a sacred work. Mark, no doubt, regretted his 
conduct, for by the time Paul and Barnabas were 
ready to undertake their second journey, he was back 
in Antioch prepared to accompany them. This, how- 
ever, Paul would not permit, whereupon Barnabas 
took Mark and departed to the work in Cyprus (Acts 
x v. 36-39). How long his association with his cousin 
continued cannot be known, but at the time of Paul's 
imprisonment in Rome (A. D. 62) he was with the 
apostle (Col. iv. 10, Phil. 24), and seemingly about to 
start on a mission to the East, which shows that 
•he had been restored to the favor of Paul, and was 
one of his trusted helpers. In I. Peter v. 13 the writer 
speaks of Mark as with him in Babylon, which prob- 
ably stands for Rome, according to a frequent Chris- 
tian usage of the first century; and later on Paul 
requests Timothy to bring Mark from the vicinity of 
Ephesus to Rome, as being able to assist him there 
(II. Tim. iv. 11). These hints afford us our only cer- 
tain information regarding Mark. The writings of 



4-0 The Teachings of the Books 



the early fathers declare that he was the interpreter 
of Peter, that he lived and labored in Rome, and 
that he went later to Alexandria, where he founded 
the Egyptian church, and where he was buried. Tra- 
dition records the removal of his remains to Venice, 
where the beautiful church of St. Mark was built in 
his honor. 

SOURCES 

The direct connection of Mark with the writing of 
the second gospel is generally accepted. The attempt 
to show that he is the author of a lost document on 
which our gospel of Mark is based, rather than the 
author of the gospel itself, has not proved convincing. 
That much of the material which Mark has given us 
is reproduced from Peter's teaching is morally cer- 
tain. Upon this point, the testimony of Papias, the 
earliest authority (120 A. D.), is in harmony with that 
of the Greek and Latin fathers.* It would seem that 
Peter gave form to the earliest narrative, made up of 
accounts of events in Jesus' life which could be used 
separately or repeated in a continuous recital. That 
narrative dealt mostly with events in the life of Jesus, 
and included the report of only a few of his discourses 
or teachings. It circulated very early in Jerusalem, 
and had both an Aramaic and a Greek form. Mark, 
as a teacher of the gospel, was able to put it into writ- 
ing with few if any changes from the form in which he 

* Papias, "on the authority of John the Presbyter, declared that "Mark, 
having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not 
indeed in order, whatsoever he remembered of the things said or done by 
Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed Him; but afterward, as 
is said, he followed Peter, who adapted his teaching to the needs of his 
hearers, but with no intention of giving a connected account of the Lord's 
discourses, so that Mark committed no error while he thus wrote some things 
as he remembered them, for he was careful of one thing, not to omit any of 
the things which he had heard, and not to state any of them falsely." Euseb. 
//.£., III., 39. 



The Gospel According to Mark 41 



received it from Peter. This written version was 
probably not prepared for some time afterward. One 
tradition has it that it was written in Rome; another 
that it was written in Alexandria. It is generally 
conceded to be the oldest of the gospels, and either in 
its present form or as an oral narrative it formed one 
of the sources for both Matthew and Luke.* Papias 
affirms that Mark does not preserve the chronological 
order of events in the life of Christ, but it is probable 
that he more closely approaches it than any other, 
since Matthew and Luke in the main follow his 
arrangement. This explains the fact that all three of 
the synoptic gospels give special prominence to the 
Galilean ministry, and record only one Passover, as 
contrasted with John, who records the Judean minis- 
try of Jesus, together with the fact that three Pass- 
overs were celebrated by him. In reading Mark's 
gospel we are therefore nearer to the acts and words 
of Jesus than anywhere else, being in possession of a 
recital of them which must have been put into essen- 
tially its present form within a dozen years of the 
death of our Lord. Nothing could exceed the deep 
significance of this fact. Whether the Gospel of Mark 
originally ended abruptly at xvi. 8, or whether the 
remaining portion was lost, is uncertain. But the 
section xvi. 9-20 is not regarded as genuine, and it 
has been rightly separated from the body of the 
gospel in the Revised Version. 

*The theory which at present is generally accepted by scholars is that 
advanced by Prof. Bruce in his introduction to the Expositor's Greek Testa- 
ment, to-wit, that "a book like our canonical Mark, if not identical with it, 
was the source of narratives common to the three gospels, and another book 
containing the sayings of Jesus was the source of didactic matter common to 
Matthew and Luke." 



42 The Teachings of the Books 



CHARACTERISTICS 

The careful reader will notice certain striking fea- 
tures in this gospel. 

i. // is a gospel of events and actions. This is what 
might be expected in the earliest narrative regarding 
Jesus. The striking deeds are emphasized. The 
teachings take form later. This explains why in the 
earliest gospel the Sermon on the Mount and all but 
six parables are omitted. Those events only which 
concern the ministry of Jesus are mentioned, the inter- 
esting accounts of His birth and childhood being left 
out. The narrative opens with the work of John, and 
goes swiftly onward to the close. Rapidity of 
movement is particularly noticeable. Jesus is de- 
scribed as going from one action to another with 
tireless energy and enthusiasm. The adverb trans- 
lated "immediately," "straightway," and "forth- 
with" is used no fewer than forty times by Mark. 
The mind is impressed by a series of swiftly moving 
scenes. Action is the prevailing quality, and closely 
connected with this is the vividness and realism of the 
narrative. The entire book bears the characteristics 
of an eye witness. It has incidents or features which 
are related nowhere else. It is impossible to believe 
that we have in this gospel simply a condensation of 
Matthew and Luke, when it is noticed that it gives 
far more of those personal and realistic touches than 
they do. The most casual comparison will disclose 
numerous instances of this. Take for example the 
following: The pressing of the multitude upon the 
little group consisting of Jesus and the disciples, so 
that they could not eat (iii. 20); Jesus sleeping on 



The Gospel According to Mark 



the cushion of the boat (iv. 38) ; Jesus turning round 
and discovering the woman who had touched him in 
the throng (v. 32); the exact reporting of His words 
(iii. 17, v. 41, vii. 34, xiv. 36, xv. 34); His sighing 
when He was asked for a sign (viii. 12); His rebuk- 
ing of Peter (viii. 33) ; His taking the child in His 
arms (ix. 36); the disclosure to Peter, James, John, 
and Andrew of the coming catastrophe (xiii. 3); the 
bearing of the cross by Simon, the father of Alexander 
and Rufus (xv. 21). The vividness of the picture is 
further enhanced by the frequent use of the present 
tense where the other narrators use the historical 
tenses as being suited to the description of past 
events. This may be observed in such touches as 
"There comes to Him a leper" (i. 4); "they come to 
Him bringing," etc. (ii. 3); "while He was yet speak- 
ing there comes to Him Judas" (xiv. 43). Mark has 
little that is peculiar to himself, as almost all that he 
records has been used by the other evangelists ; but 
among the things peculiar to his narrative are the par- 
ables of the secretly growing seed (iv. 20-29) and of 
the householder (xiii. 34) ; two miracles of healing, 
one being that of the deaf and dumb man (vii. 32-37), 
the other that of the blind man at Bethsaida (viii. 
22-26); also the story of the young man clad in a linen 
cloth who followed Jesus on His way to the judgment 
hall (xiv. 51, 52). Mark also gives several additional 
features, evidencing the value of the narrative as that 
of an eye witness, and as put into form while the 
events were still fresh in memory; which quite agrees 
with the Petrine character of the gospel. 

2. There is a certain air of boldness about the gospel 
of Mark which does not belong to the other gospels. The 



44 The Teachings of the Books 



statements regarding Jesus are sometimes startling in 
their frankness, and might seem to be in danger of a 
wrong construction, and yet they are set down with- 
out reservation. "The gospel of Jesus Christ the 
Son of God" is the title which Mark gives to his book. 
The thoughts of Jesus as expressed in His actions are 
here given as nowhere else. Jesus is represented as 
looking about with anger (iii. 5) ; as being filled with 
indignation (x. 14); as loving the rich young man 
(x. 21); as marveling at the unbelief of the people 
(vi. 6) ; as being suspected of insanity by His friends 
(iii. 21). This feature is still more evident in the 
parallel accounts where the other gospels, especially 
Matthew, modify the statements of Mark so that 
they are less abrupt. Jesus is the carpenter in Mark 
(vi. 3), but the son of the carpenter in Matt. xiii. 55. 
Mark says Jesus was not able to do any mighty work 
at Nazareth, save to heal a few sick people (vi. 5). 
Matthew's account simply says He did few mighty 
works there because of their unbelief (xiii. 58). Mark 
says the young man who asked Jesus what he should 
do to inherit eternal life called Him "Good Master," 
and Jesus responded, "Why callest thou me good? 
None is good save one, God" (x. 17, 18). Luke 
follows this account (xviii. 18, 19), but Matthew's ver- 
sion gives the question in the form, "Master, what 
good thing shall I do," etc., and the answer, "Why 
askest thou me concerning that which is good? 
One there is who is good" (xix. 16, 17). Mark says 
that James and John asked for conspicuous offices in 
the expected kingdom (x. 35), but in Matthew it is 
their mother who proffers the request. It is also 
noticeable that Matthew and Luke omit the two mir- 



The Gospel According to Mark. 



45 



acles in which Jesus made use of remedial means in 
accomplishing the result (vii. 32-37, viii. 22-26). 
These facts illustrate the great value of Mark's testi- 
mony as uninfluenced by any apologetic purpose to 
exhibit Jesus only in a favorable light. The result is 
a portraiture singularly powerful and convincing. 

3. // is the gospel of miraculous power. One-half of 
this gospel is devoted to the narration of the miracles 
of Jesus. Of the thirty-six miracles wrought by 
Him, one-half are recorded by Mark. The picture of 
Christ presented is not so much that of a teacher as 
the mighty master of nature and life. It is significant 
that the earliest cycle of narrative, which took shape 
within a few years of the death of our Lord, and 
which circulated widely among those who knew the 
events of His life, should concern itself so largely 
with miracle rather than with teaching. These won- 
derful events gained earliest attention, and it is only 
in the second cycle of narrative that the teachings are 
made prominent; and this is exactly the order we 
should expect if the gospels are to be trusted as giv- 
ing us honest and reliable recitals of the work of Jesus. 

4. The gospel of Mark is the Gentile gospel. It 
makes almost.no reference to the Old Testament,* 
such reference being of interest chiefly to Jews or 
Christians. It adds translations and explanations of 
such words of the vernacular as the vividness of this 
narrative made it worth while to preserve. Instances 
of this are found in such expressions as "Boanerges, 
that is, Sons of thunder" (iii. 17); "Talitha cumi," 
which is, being interpreted, "Damsel, I say unto 

* The only exception is in i. 2, 3 where Mai. iii. 1 and Isa. xl. 3 are blended 
together as if taken from Isaiah xv. 28. 



46 The Teachings of the Books 



thee, arise" (v. 41); "Corban," that is, "given to 
God" (vii. 11); "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened" 
(vii. 34); "Bartimeus, the Son of Timaeus" (x. 46) : 
"Abba," that is, "Father" (xiv. 36) ; "Golgotha," 
which is, being interpreted, "the place of a skull" 
(xv. 22); and the cry of Jesus upon the cross (xv. 34). 
In the same manner Jewish customs are frequently i 
explained, as they would not need to have been for 
Jews; this may be seen in the explanations given of 
washing (vii. 3); of fasting (ii. 18); of the beliefs of 
the Sadducees (xii. 18); and of the Passover (xiv. 12; 
xv. 6, 42). References to places are more particular 
than they would have been in a writing addressed to 
the people of Palestine (e. g., i. 5; xiii. 3). The tra- 
dition that Mark wrote in Rome, and that his gospel 
was intended for people of the Roman type, gains 
color from the directness, rapidity of movement, and 
forcefulness of his gospel ; from the frequent use of 
Latin words;* from the portraiture of Jesus as Master 
of men, a worker of miracles, and the possessor of 
more than mortal authority and might. 

While in any attempt to fix the date of the present 
literary form of the gospel many elements of conjec- 
ture have to be reckoned with, it is probable that it 
was written between 65 and 70 A. D. It may there- 
fore be safely regarded as by several years the earli- 
est of the gospels. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

Jesus is set forth in Mark's gospel as the Mighty 
Son of God, the representative of the Father on the 
earth. That He was one with the Father; that He 

*Such e.g. as denarius (vi. 37), centurio (xv. 39), census (xii. 14), prae- 
torium (xv. 16), etc. 



The Gospel According to Mark 



47 



possessed His essential attributes, is proved by His 
ability to do the works of the Father. While Matthew 
enlarges on the words of Jesus, Mark enlarges on His 
works. In Mark's gospel the Sermon on the Mount 
is compressed into a few sentences; the miracles are 
made prominent, and are referred to as a succession 
of mighty deeds. 

We learn from Mark that the conception of Jesus 
as a teacher must not be allowed to overshadow the 
conception of Him as a worker. He came to do 
something, and not merely to say something. He is 
more than a teacher, He is a worker. The works 
that He did bear witness of Him. His miracles were 
acted parables. The whole of His earthly activity 
was as truly a divine revelation as the wonderful words 
that fell from His lips. His death upon the cross, in 
which His earthly activity culminated, has been 
rightly designated "the work of Christ," and in that 
work we have the highest form of divine expres- 
sion. 

All that Mark professes to give is "the beginning of 
the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (i. i). 
He saw that what he recorded was only the initial 
point in an endless development; that the works per- 
formed were merely the hidings of divine power, the 
beginnings of a manifestation of ceaseless activity. 
"My Father worketh even until now," said Jesus, 
"and I work" — that is, "I am working." Wherever 
Christ is, He continues to work. He is working in 
the present as He worked in the days of His flesh. 
The historical Christ is still making history. His work 
on its earthward side is never finished. After He was 
received up, it is said that His disciples "went forth 



48 The Teachings of the Books 



and preached everywhere, the Lord working with 
them" (xvi. 20), and He still works with every one 
who goes forth to help humanity in His name. 

The power of Jesus by which the writer of the sec- 
ond gospel was so deeply impressed is represented by 
him as possessing four distinct qualities. It was: 

1. Almighty power. As Mark saw Him, Jesus was 
a man clothed with all the attributes of God; He was 
human weakness clothed with omnipotence. The 
amazement which His miracles created is specially 
noted, their effect being heightened by contrast. 
When the omnific word was spoken which calmed the 
raging sea, it is recorded that the beholders "feared 
exceedingly, and said one to another, Who, then, is this 
that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (iv. 41). 
His wonder-working power His friends could not ac- 
count for upon natural grounds. "Whence hath this 
man these things ; and whence is the wisdom that is given 
this man, and what mean such mighty works wrought 
by His hands? Is not this the carpenter?" (vi. 2, 3; 
see, also, ii. 12, iii. 11, vii. 37). The conclusion to 
which they were irresistibly led was that these miracu- 
lous works were the products of one who was endowed 
with divine power. 

The attribute of almightiness which Jesus possessed 
fitted Him to captivate the Romans, for whom Mark's 
gospel was especially written. The Romans were wor- 
shipers of power. Their word for virtue, "virtus," 
means power, or prowess. Power was to them the 
highest excellence; weakness the greatest defect. 
Here, then, was one possessing divine energy, divine 
power; one mightier than all the sons of men; one 



The Gospel According to Mark 



49 



mightier than Jupiter, mightier than all the gods of 
Olympus. Surely this was the Son of God! 

As Mark exhibits Him, this wonderful being pos- 
sesses power such as was never approached by any one 
on this earth before or since, (i) He has power over 
the unseen world. Demons are subject to Him (i. 21). 
(2) He has power over disease (i. 29). Whether this 
power is the fiat of omnipotence, or subjective power 
working through the law of telepathic suggestion, mat- 
ters nothing; the important point is that no one else 
ever possessed such healing power. (3) He has power 
over nature. The winds and the sea obey him as a 
servant obeys his master (iv. 41). (4) He has power 
over death (v. 41). He calls death a sleep out of 
which He can awaken with a word (v. 39). (5) He has 
power or authority to absolve from sin (ii. 5). This 
He claims as His divine prerogative, founding His 
claim upon His power to heal (ii. 10). This power, 
which He received from the Father, makes Him the 
Father's equal. He remits sin on earth with the 
authority of God. (6) He has power to control 
the will of man, the power of an imperial personality 
that speaks the word of authority and is instantly 
obeyed (ii. 14). (7) He has power over the moral order 
of things upon which society is founded (ii. 23-28). As 
"the Lord of the Sabbath" He has the right to inter- 
pret and amplify the Sabbatic law, which has been 
ordained for the benefit of man. (8) He has power to 
suffer (xv. 22-39). (9) He has power to break the 
bars of the tomb (xvi. 5-7). (10) He has power to 
ascend out of the earth-life into the heaven-life from 
which He had descended (xvi. 19). Every stroke of 



50 The Teachings of the Books 



Mark's pen describes Jesus as "the Son of God in 
power," the Son of God existing in the element of 
power, the Son of God living in the exercise of power. 

2. Beneficent power. Not bare omnipotence, but 
omnipotence exercised for beneficent ends. The liv- 
ing energy of Jesus was employed in doing good. 
His activity was benevolent activity. His miracles were 
altruistic. They were works of love and mercy. 

Never did Jesus use His miraculous power for His 
own benefit, but always for the benefit of others. 
When the tempter came to Him in the wilderness he 
presented to Him in varying forms specious reasons 
why He should use His power for Himself, but all 
these subtle temptations He steadfastly resisted. He 
held His power under the absolute control of an eth- 
ical purpose. He did not employ it capriciously, for 
mere display, or for the injury of any one. This the 
Roman found it hard to understand. He had often 
used his power in a selfish and brutal way. The didactic 
value of the miracles of Jesus lies therefore mainly in 
the fact that they were peculiar modes of divine mani- 
festation, in which the real character of Jesus was set 
forth. They were the sign-manuals of His divine 
sonship, the revelations in deeds of His benevolent 
heart. As a sample miracle take the raising of the 
daughter of Jairus (v. 21-43). This miracle was 
wrought to comfort the heart of a bereaved parent. 
So with all his miracles. They were performed in 
response to some pressing need for sympathy and 
help. 

Mark would have Jesus tried by the quality of His 
work. The supreme test of every man's life is, what 
kind of work does it bring forth? The life of Jesus 



The Gospel According to Mark 51 



brought forth works of superlative goodness. It fur- 
nished a new ideal of power. It showed the way in 
which power is to be used (x. 43-45).* 

3. Saving power. The Roman had been mighty to 
destroy. Here was One who was mighty to save. He 
found the world under the oppression of an enemy, 
and He set Himself to accomplish its deliverance. At 
the time of His coming the powers of evil had gained 
a firm hold upon humanity, and were causing great 
disturbance, both in the physical and in the spiritual 
spheres. The end for which His power was exercised 
was that He might restore the world to the divine 
order. He delivers from bodily disorders (iii. 10), 
from mental disorders (i. 23), from spiritual disorders 
(iii. 10.) Study His miracles one by one and they 
will be found to be works of salvation. Search out 
the meaning of His earthly mission, and it will be 
found to be a mission of salvation. He came to save, 
and to that end He used every particle of His power. 
He saves human nature from the anarchistic, destruc- 
tive powers by which it is assailed. He saves men 
from bondage to evil by bringing them into unqualified 
submission to the divine will (xii. 17); He saves them 
from selfishness, which is self-ruin, by securing the 
supremacy of law through the supremacy of love (xii. 
30) ; and He saves the social whole by saving the 
separate units of which it is composed. 

4. Conquering power — power which never knew 
defeat. From the very first Jesus was opposed. 
When a babe, Herod the king sought to compass His 

*What has been called "the unpardonable sin," but what is in reality 
the unpardoned sin, consists in vilifying the Holy Spirit, in whose power 
Christ wrought, and attributing His gracious works to the spirit of evil. 
This is the climax of human iniquity. The man who is possessed of this 
malign disposition is said to be "held in the grasp of an eternal sin" (iii. 29). 



52 The Teachings of the Books 



death. No sooner had He entered upon His public 
work than the religious leaders and the politicians 
took counsel how they might destroy Him (iv. 6). He 
was constantly assailed, by the world-powers, and by 
the powers of darkness. The opposition grew in 
intensity until it ended in His tragic death. 

In every conflict the strong Son of God came off 
victorious. Every fresh assault was the occasion of a 
new triumph. "Mark's gospel," says Lange, "pre- 
sents a series of victorious conflicts." Its events are 
marshaled together, and march to music as "the Son 
of God goes forth to war, a kingly crown to gain." 
The forces which contended against Him were over- 
come one by one and brought into subjection to His 
sovereign sway. Everything that militated against 
the divine order was subdued. There was no disease 
which He could not cure; cases that baffled human 
skill He healed with a word or touch (v. 25-34, ix. 18) ; 
at every step he foiled the evil designs of His enemies 
(xii. 28-34)-; He put the Sanhedrin to confusion; 
(xv. 1-5); he drove from the temple the sacrilegious 
huxters who had defiled the holy place (xi. 15-18); He 
broke the power of Satan, binding the strong man and 
spoiling his house (iii. 27); He overcame the sharp- 
ness of the cross (xv. 39) ; He conquered Death, by 
whom all other men are conquered; He broke away 
from the embrace of the grave in which all other men 
are held (xvi. 6) ; and after vanquishing every foe, 
"He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the 
right hand of God" (xvi. 19). 

Could anything appeal more strongly to the Roman 
mind than this idea of a mighty conqueror, before 
whom nothing was able to stand — a conqueror who 



The Gospel According to Mark 53 



was destined to achieve world-wide empire? And in 
the hour of her weakness what encouragement ought 
to come to the Church from the reflection that the 
Mighty Christ whom Mark portrays is moving steadily 
forward, overcoming all opposition, subduing all 
things to the will of heaven, and establishing on the 
earth a kingdom that cannot be shaken! 



THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE 



THE WRITER 

Christianity had its origin in the circle of Judaism. 
The Master Himself was a Jew, and His disciples and 
earliest followers were all of that people. The first 
churches were composed entirely of Jewish Christians, 
and the most difficult problem which confronted the 
new society was the admission of non-Jewish mem- 
bers. The champion of Gentile privileges in the 
Church was Paul; and he was a Hebrew of the 
Hebrews. All the literature of the first period of 
the Church — a period which closed with the last 
apostle — was written by Jewish Christians, with two 
notable exceptions, the gospel of Luke and the Acts 
of the Apostles. 

The Gentile origin, therefore, of the two works 
which relate the story of the earliest activities of the 
new faith and the life of its founder is not without 
profound significance to the student of Christian liter- 
ature. The facts and forces of which Luke was in a 
manner an outside observer were related by him to 
the broad life of the world as a Jew could not have 
done. His was the spirit of the historian rather than 
of the advocate. Animated by a profound reverence 
for the Christ whose disciple he had become, and 
by a sincere affection for the great apostle who had 
honored him with his friendship, he stood close 

54 



The Gospel According to Luke 55 



enough to the Jerusalem Church to enter largely into 
the spirit of its earliest experiences, while at the same 
time he saw as no other writer of the first century the 
bearings of the new faith upon the life of that world 
which lay around him, helpless to find redemption, but 
destined to be quickened into life by that same gospel 
which met so ungracious a reception at its hands 
because it was brought by Jewish messengers. This 
great outlying world upon which the light was begin- 
ning to break is surveyed by Luke with the eye of a 
calm, broad-minded observer. He seems to be watch- 
ing the outgoings of those significant events in which 
both Jew and Gentile soon took lively interest. 

Without mentioning his own name, Luke dedicates 
both of his books to a certain Theophilus, probably a 
Gentile. Internal evidence, and the testimony of 
early Christian writers, afford ample proof that their 
authorship is to be ascribed to Luke, the friend and 
companion of Paul. Of Luke's life little is known. 
It has been thought by some that his home was in 
Antioch,* by others that it was in Philippi.f That he 
was a Gentile is shown by Paul's allusion to him as 
not "of the circumcision" (Col. iv. 4); that he was a 
Greek is shown by his pure Greek style. Paul refers 
to him as a physician, and evidences of his profes- 
sional bent are found in his use of technical terms in 
describing disease.]; He lingers over the miracles 

*Eusebius and Jerome say that he was a Syrian of Antioch. This is sug- 
gested by the fact that Aiuioch was for some time the residence of Paul and 
one of the earliest centers of his missionary operations. Luke also gives 
special information regarding the Church in Antioch. See Acts xi. 19-30, 
xiii. 1-3, xv. 1-3. 

t Proof of this is sought in the fact that the narrative in Acts records his 
arrival in Philippi with Paul, and his departure with him from that city 
several years later. (Acts xvi. 11-15, xvii. 1, xx. 6.) 

JCf. Chaps, iv. 23-43, xxii. 44, Acts iii. 7, 9, 18, xii. 23, xxviii. 5. Consult 
also Hobart on The Medical Language of St. Luke. 



56 The Teachings of the Books 



of healing, and notices such a trivial event as the 
healing of Malchus' ear. The affliction from which 
Paul himself suffered may have been the occasion of 
an acquaintance which proved so eventful to both. 
Luke also makes use of nautical terms, and he is care- 
ful to mention the names of the harbors at which 
Paul landed, even when this information is not essen- 
tial to the story of his work.* 

STYLE 

The writings of Luke show him to have been a 
man of culture and leisure, a keen observer of men 
and things, an ideal traveler and historian. He 
writes with a grace of style, in pure classical Greek, f 
His careful collation of facts gathered from every 
source, from contemporary documents, from oral tra- 
dition, from eye-witnesses, and from observation; his 
systematic arrangement of material covering the 
entire earthly life of Jesus from His birth to His 
ascension; his philosophical spirit, which inquires into 
the meaning of events, all mark him out as the ripe, 
broad-minded scholar. 

A MOLDING INFLUENCE 

The supreme influence in the molding of Luke's 
life was his association with Paul. Where they first 
met we do not certainly know; possibly at Antioch, 
or more likely still, at Troas. As the western limit 
of Asia, Troas was evidently a point beyond which it 
was not originally the intention of the apostle to go. 

*Neapolis, Attalia, Assos, Mitylene, Samos, Cos, Rhodes, Patara, etc. 

t Of the New Testament writings in general it has been aptly said that 
they have " a Greek body, a Hebrew sou), and a Christian spirit." In an 
emphatic sense this characterization is true of the gospel of Luke. 



The Gospel According to Luke 



57 



Behind him lay all the interests of the new faith he was 
proclaiming,and his programme seems to have included 
as yet no more than the evangelization of the chief 
cities of the Levant. His meeting with Luke appears, 
however, to have changed his plan. In this intelli- 
gent Greek, whom he had led into a knowledge of the 
Christian faith, he saw the representative of an inter- 
esting class that lay beyond the bounds of Asia. 
Although Greek ideas and language had spread widely 
outside of Hellas, still they were there represented at 
their best, and Paul, whose early manhood had been 
spent in a university city where Greek culture must have 
found some expression, would naturally long for the 
privilege of carrying the gospel into the heart of that 
circle of culture and power. So when the divine call 
came in the vision of the man of Macedonia — whether 
or not the man of Macedonia was Luke himself, as 
Professor Ramsay suggests* — Paul was enabled by his 
association with this real man of Macedonia to give 
to the cry for help which reached him through the 
vision an immediate and hearty response. 

THE MOTIVE OF THE WRITER 

Luke's motive for writing the two books that bear 
his name is found in his relation to Paul. The book 
of Acts bears every evidence of having been writ- 
ten to set forth the work of that apostle. But back 
of that lay the supreme motive of setting forth that 
larger movement of divine power in which Paul was 
only one of a number of actors. The natural starting- 

*The theory of Professor Ramsay is that Paul met Luke for the first 
time at Troas, whither he had been led against his own judgment and inten- 
tion, and afterward he recognized him in a vision as the Man of Macedonia 
who was beckoning to his own country. St. Paul the Traveller, and the 
Roman Citizen. P. 198, 



58 



The Teachings of the Books 



point of that movement was the life of Jesus, and to 
that narrative Luke accordingly first addressed him- 
self. And although Paul had no personal acquaint- 
ance with Jesus, yet his residence in Jerusalem and 
his contact with the leaders of the new movement 
must have furnished him with a fairly full knowledge 
of the life of our Lord. Besides, the story of that 
life was already passing freely about in oral form; 
and at least one of the sayings of Jesus, unrecorded 
by any of the evangelists, has been preserved by Paul. 
(See Acts xx. 35). The subsequent visit of Luke to 
Jerusalem, and his intimate connection with Paul dur- 
ing the two years of his imprisonment in Csesarea, 
afforded him exceptional opportunities of gathering 
information from those who had been companions of 
the Lord. From Caesarea it was a journey of but a 
few hours to the scenes of Jesus' ministry in Galilee 
and Perea, and it may be regarded as certain that 
when Luke left Palestine for Rome with Paul, in the 
autumn of 60 A. D., he carried with him all the 
important data connected with the planting of Chris- 
tianity; so that afterward, when in the interest of the 
growing church he was impelled to put into literary 
form the leading events of the life of Paul, he was 
able to supply from materials at hand the necessary 
prelude to such a work in his life of Jesus. That the 
writings of Luke, while dedicated to an individual, 
were intended by their author for circulation in the 
Christian community, appears evident from their elab- 
oration. 



The Gospel According to Luke 



59 



SOURCES 

It is clear that the gospel of Luke was not written 
as an independent work. There is "something sec- 
ondary about it." (Denny.) The preface states 
clearly the indebtedness of the author to earlier 
sources. These sources were, as he informs us, of two 
kinds, written and oral. Many hands were already 
at work writing down the teachings of Jesus and the 
leading events of His life. It may be that the gospel 
of Mark was already in circulation. It is too much, 
however, to affirm that Luke ever saw this gospel, yet 
no inconsiderable portion of his material is clearly 
drawn from that gospel, in its oral form at least. 
Moreover the early forms of Christian worship seem 
to have embodied narrative elements taken from the 
story of Jesus' life.* As already stated, the indebt- 
edness of Matthew and Luke to Mark alike for the 
substance, form, and order of events is clear; but 
there are elements common to both which are omit- 
ted by Mark. These pertain, for the most part, to 
the teachings of Jesus. Matthew shows a tendency 
to gather these teachings into discourses, while Luke 
preserves them in their original setting of events. 
Matthew's method is that of a preacher; Luke's that 
of a historian. The leading examples of this use of 
common material are the Sermon on the Mount 
(vi. 20-49); the charge to the Twelve (ix. 1-6); the 
sending forth of the seventy (x. 1-24) ; the latter two 
of which Matthew combines into one. Only a careful 
comparison of all the synoptical gospels can give an 

* In his account of the institution of the Lord's Supper Luke evidently 
was influenced by liturgical forms of the early church, as was also Paul. 
Comp. xxii. 19-20, with I. Cor. xi. 24, 25. 



60 The Teachings of the Books 

adequate idea of the large number of correspondences. 
But in many of its essential features the gospel of 
Luke is independent of that of Mark. 

CHARACTERISTICS 

A distinct class of passages appears in Luke for 
which no parallels exist in the other gospels. The 
most notable example of this class is to be found in 
the record of the Perean ministry of Jesus (ix. 51- 
xviii. 14), where a whole cycle of teaching and activity 
is preserved by this writer alone. This section 
includes some of the most precious portions of this 
gospel, such, for example, as the stories of the good 
Samaritan, of the rich man and Lazarus, and of the rich 
fool; the parables of the barren fig-tree, the lost coin, 
the lost sheep, and the prodigal son; the two parables 
of prayer, viz., that of the importunate friend and that 
of the unjust steward; the manifestation of intoler- 
ance by James and John, the characterization of 
Martha and Mary, and the healing of the ten lepers. 
Other notable narratives of an independent sort are 
those relating to Zacchaeus, to the penitent thief, and 
to the interview between the risen Lord and two of His 
disciples on the way to Emmaus. These all bear evi- 
dence of having been oral narratives, to which Luke 
gave literary form, preserving them to us in his 
smooth and correct Greek style. 

Another point worthy of mention is that the account 
of the birth and early life of Jesus, which is different 
from that of the first gospel, bears internal evidence 
of having been translated from Aramaic originals, 
which were probably secured by Luke in Palestine. 
The same characteristics appear in the songs . pre- 



The Gospel According to Luke 61 



served by Luke in the opening chapters of his 
book. 

As might be expected in one standing outside the 
circle of Judaism, especially of one who had been influ- 
enced by Paul's larger conception of the gospel, Luke 
connects the work of Jesus with the world at large, 
and show T s that it had no geographical limitations, save 
those which were necessary to its final success. He 
is careful to supply the political background to the 
picture, by references to the rulers of the time, both 
imperial and provincial. He also preserves those facts 
in the life of Jesus which show His interest in those 
outside the circle of the Jewish people. He presents 
Jesus as the lover of humanity, the friend of the put- 
cast, the forgiver of the sinful, the consoler of the 
sorrowful, the Saviour of all men. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

Compared with Mark, this gospel is idealistic 
rather than realistic. It is distinguished for the 
sweetness and loftiness of its spirit. It opens with an 
outburst of song. It alone gives to us the hymns of 
the nativity — the Ave Maria (i. 28-33); the Magnificat 
(i. 46-55); the Benedictus (i. 67-79); the Gloria in 
Excelsis (ii. 14) ; the Nunc Dimittis (ii. 29, 30) — glori- 
ous lyrics, in which the praise of the Church has 
throughout the ages been expressed. To it we are 
indebted for certain exquisite touches of spiritual sug- 
gestiveness which have been given to the picture of 
the peerless life. For instance, it tells us that it was 
as Jesus was praying at the time of His baptism that 
the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (iii. 21). In 
describing His transfiguration, it says that "as He 



61 The Teachings of the Books 



was praying, the fashion of His countenance was 
altered" (ix. 28). It also tells us that Jesus on the 
cross exemplified His hardest lesson, "Love your 
enemies," by praying for the murderers, "Father, for- 
give them, for they know not what they do" (xxiii. 34). 
The charm of the book, to which even Renan con- 
fesses, is due quite as much to the beauty of its spirit 
as to the beauty of its literary form. 

1. Luke's central conception of Jesus is that He is the 
friend and brother of man — the representative of universal 
humanity. Whereas Matthew traces His genealogy 
back to Abraham, Luke traces it back to Adam. The 
title which Luke delights to apply to Jesus, or rather 
the title which he represents Jesus as applying to 
Himself, is "the Son of Man." That title was not 
original with Jesus. He found it in current use, but 
in adopting it He breathed into it a deeper meaning 
than it had ever contained. Jesus was not merely a 
son of man; he was the son of man, the ideal man, in 
whom all human perfectibility is summed up. He 
is "the realized ideal" (Neander), who furnishes in 
Himself a new model for mankind. He is also kins- 
man of all the race, the head of a new humanity. 

(1) The humanity of Jesus is exhibited by Luke in all 
its phases, (a) His entrance into the world by the 
common gateway of birth (ii. 6, 7). (b) His dedica- 
tion by his parents in the temple (ii. 42). (c) His 
discovery of Himself and His mission (ii. 49). (d) 
His human development (ii. 40). (e) His manward 
preparation for His work (ii. 51, iv. 1-13). (f) The 
growth of His divine consciousness (ii. 52). (g) The 
breaking of the seal of silence when His divine 
consciousness became full grown (iv. 18). (h) His 



The Gospel According to Luke 



63 



struggle with temptation (iv. 1). His temptations were 
the generic temptations of the race, (i) His constant 
dependence upon the Father (vi. 12, 13). (j) His. 
cry of loneliness, as a homeless wanderer who had no 
place to lay his head or his heart (ix. 58). (k) His 
shame and suffering as He bore the indignities of those 
He came to bless and save, at the very time He was 
drinking to the dregs the cup of their curse (xxiii. 
14-49). 

His humanity was real and not assumed. He 
incorporated Himself into our common human life, 
becoming "bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh." 
There was no human weakness or limitation in which 
He did not share. He was one with us in everything 
but sin. 

(2) As the true world-man, the man Christ Jesus is 
possessed of universal sympathy. Every page of Luke's 
gospel is suffused with the glow of His human com- 
passion. Some of the sterner features of His teaching 
are toned down. He touches life on every side in a 
friendly, helpful way. He shares in the social pleas- 
ures of men; He is the consoler of the sorrowful; He 
has a heart of tenderest love that responds to every 
appeal for sympathy and help. His mission is defined 
to be "to heal the broken-hearted and preach deliver- 
ance to the captives" (iv. 18). He cared for those 
whom the society of His own day neglected or spurned, 
(a) For children (xviii. 17). (b) For women (x. 38-42). 
(c) For the poor and despised (xvi. 19-22). (d) For 
the socially obnoxious (xix. 5). (e) For social out- 
casts (xv. 1). (f) For those who are accounted to be 
least (xxii. 27). (g) For the weak and tempted 
(xxii. 31). (h) For those who had upon them the brand 



64 The Teachings of the Books 



of public infamy (vii. 37-50). (i) For sinners (xv. 1), 
that is, sinners in an intensified sense. That He 
received sinners and ate with them was a gracious tes- 
timony ungraciously given. 

The breadth of the ministry of Jesus was as wide 
as human need. The more pressing the need, the 
greater was the outflow of His sympathetic help. His 
ministry extended to the whole man, to the body as 
well as to the soul. He eased the burdens of the 
present, He inspired hope for the morrow. He sought 
to redeem man from all evil, present and future. 

2. The mission of Jesus is to universal humanity. 
Related to all, He loves all, and seeks the recovery of 
all. In Matthew's gospel the Son of Man is come to 
gather to Himself the "lost sheep of the house of 
Israel." In Luke's gospel "the Son of Man is come 
to seek and to save that which is lost" (xix. 10). The 
angel of the Annunciation proclaimed "good tidings 
of great joy, which shall be to all the people" (ii. 10). 
The aged Simeon saw in the child Jesus, as He was 
presented to the Lord in the temple, "a light for 
revelation to the Gentiles" (ii. 32). John the Baptist 
heralded the coming Messiah as one through whom 
"all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (iii. 6). And 
the commission of the risen Lord to His disciples ran 
"that repentance and remission of sins should be 
preached in His name unto all the nations, beginning 
from Jerusalem" (xxiv. 47). 

The bold universalism of Luke, which represents 
the grace of God as overflowing every barrier, is 
essentially Pauline. Nowhere do we trace more dis- 
tinctly the molding influence that came from his 
intimate intercourse with that master-mind than in 



The Gospel According to Luke 



the reproduction of Paul's thought regarding the uni- 
versality of divine grace. The words "grace," "sal- 
vation," and "Saviour," which are favorite words with 
Paul, occur frequently in this gospel, and always in 
an unlimited sense. 

3. Luke s gospel is characterized by a spirit of catho- 
licity and toleration. It has appropriately been called 
"the catholic gospel." (1) It discovers elect persons 
among a non-elect people (iv. 27). (2) It finds greater 
faith in a heathen than in God's Israel (vii. 9). (3) 
It inculcates a neighborly love unbounded by race or 
religion (x. 37). (4) It rebukes sectarian bigotry (ix. 50). 
(5) It shames the thankless Jews by the example of a 
thankful Samaritan (xvii. 16). (6) It founds divine 
acceptance upon personal character rather than upon 
national privilege (xiii. 28-30). Jesus is no respecter 
of persons. Although a Jew by birth, He was in 
spirit cosmopolitan — a citizen of the world. His 
ministrations were for all alike. His gospel is for all 
alike. The broad charity which He manifested He 
requires of His followers. 

4. The universality of Christ's sacrifice. The Son of 
Man dies for man. He brings redemption to all 
whose nature He wears. (1) His incarnation in our 
common humanity implies the universality of His 
redeeming purpose (ix. 56.) (2) The remedy which 
He provides is co-extensive with the disease (xix. 10). 
Human sin is the background upon which His saving 
power is displayed. (3) His saving purpose was veiled 
at first; even His disciples did not discern it (ix. 22). 
(4) It was unveiled gradually as they were able to 
understand it (xviii. 3). (5) It was openly declared 
in the hour of supreme revealing, at the Last Supper 



66 The Teachings of the Books 



(xxii. 19-20). (6) The sacrifice of Christ was an essen- 
tial element in human redemption. It was necessary 
that Christ should suffer that He might "enter into 
His glory" (xxiv. 26). His glory is the satisfaction of 
seeing that he has not suffered in vain. 

5. The breadth of His personal evangelism. (1) The 
circle of His evangelistic operations widens until it 
embraces the whole world. It begins in the syna- 
gogue (iv. 16); the Twelve go forth "preaching the 
gospel and healing everywhere" (ix. 1-6);* the sev- 
enty are sent to evangelize the Gentiles (x. 1). (2) 
It includes all classes. Sinners are called to repent- 
ance (v. 32); the worst of men are saved (xxiii. 43). 
(3) Patience is shown with men in their childish per- 
verseness (vii. 32). (4) The degraded, the ignorant, 
and the needy are urgently entreated to receive the 
blessings of the gospel; the veriest outcasts camping 
along the highways and under the hedge-rows being 
constrained to come to the great supper (xiv. 15-24).! 
(5) The penitent publican is accepted, while the self- 
applauding Pharisee is rejected (xviii. 14). (6) The 
unlimited mercy of God is set forth in three parables 
of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (xv.). 
In these parables, which constitute the heart of Luke's 
gospel, the central thought is that in the work of 
human salvation God takes the initiative. He seeks 
man; He seeks him unremittingly. He thinks him 
worth seeking and saving. And when out of his degra- 
dation lost man seeks the Father, he is welcomed home. 

*The Twelve were endowed with "power and right." "Power," says 
Prof. Bruce in loco "implies right. The man who can cast out devils and heal 
diseases is entitled to do so, nay, bound." 

t As a contrast to the gospel spirit take the words of Voltaire to d'Alem- 
bert, "We have never pretended to enlighten the cobblers and the maid- 
servants, We leave that to the Apostles." 



The Gospel According to Luke 67 



The joy in heaven over his return is the joy which 
radiates from the heart of God. The cold, selfish 
legalist, who wants justice and not mercy, refuses to 
enter into the Father's joy, and excludes himself from 
an experience of heaven anticipated. 

6. An enlarged conception of God. In the divine- 
humanity of Jesus the fullness and freeness of God's 
fatherly love is revealed. (1) God is the All-Father, 
whose relation to man cannot be sundered by sin (xv. 
24). (2) He knows and anticipates all our wants 
(xii. 30). (3) His providence is particular, as well 
as general (xii. 7). (4) He is responsive to every 
cry for help (xi. 5-13). (5) "He is kind toward the 
unthankful and evil" (vi. 35). (6) He is merciful 
to the sinful (vi. 35). (7) He forgives the forgiving 
(xi. 4). The prayer for forgiveness which he puts 
into our lips we are warranted in turning into a 
promise of forgiveness. (8) He justifies the penitent 
(xviii. 14). All that God is, His children are to be. 
They are to be merciful even as their Father is merci- 
ful (vi. 36). They are to be God-like in everything. 

7. A broad interpretation of the law 's requirements. 
The disciple of Christ is brought into a wide place. 
He reads the law in a new light. He is taught to 
look at it on the ethical rather than on the ceremonial 
side. (1) Good doing is Sabbath-keeping (vi. 9, 
xiii. 10-17). (2) Clean hearts are more important than 
clean hands (xi. 39). (3) The best alms consist of "the 
within things" (xi. 41). Judgment and love are more 
vital than the tithing of pot-herbs (xi. 42). Jesus 
came to introduce a new conception of righteousness. 
If forms and ceremonies could have saved the world, 
Judaism would have sufficed. His disregard of the 



68 The Teachings of the Books 



established religious customs and social landmarks of 
the time was the greatest shock that could have been 
experienced in such an age, and occasioned serious 
disquietude on the part of both His friends and foes. 
His insistence upon essence rather than upon form, 
upon reality rather than upon appearance, could have 
had no other issue than that of bringing upon his head 
the opposition of those whose religion was in the letter 
rather than in the spirit, and whose praise was not of 
God, but of men. 

8. A ?ieiv conception of the kingdom of God. Being 
asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God 
cometh, Jesus answered them and said, "The king- 
dom of God cometh not with observation," it is not 
an outward and visible, but an inward and spiritual 
kingdom; "neither shall men say, Lo here! or There! 
for lo, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you" 
(xvii. 21, 22). The kingdom of God is not a localized 
center, nor is it a dim and distant ideal; it is a pres- 
ent reality, a potential force in the life of the world. 
"The kingdom of God is among you," not "within 
you." It is within Him, embodied in His person, 
propagated by His power, and hence "in your midst. " 
Of God's universal, spiritual kingdom Christ is the 
appointed head. By His personal influence over men 
it is being established. 

(1) In the development of this conception of the kingdo?n 
there is an appreciation of the organic oneness of the race. 
The expression "the people" is frequently used by 
Luke, instead of "the multitude." This new phrase 
indicates the sense of social solidarity. Men are not 
a mass of unrelated units, but a vitally related whole. 

(2) There is a recognition of social problems. (a) 



The Gospel According to Luke 69 



Wealth is a trust to be held and used in the behoof of 
others. The man who has more than he needs should 
pour his surplus into the lap of poverty; he should get 
a larger heart, not build larger barns (xii. 15-21). (b) 
A man becomes rich towards God by laying out, not 
by laying up (xii. 21). The feasts of the rich are to 
be part of an unselfish social ministry (xiv. 12-14). 
(c) Wealth is called "the mammon of unrighteous- 
ness," because it is often unrighteously gotten or 
unrighteously retained (xvi. 9). (d) Those who make 
a selfish use of the unrighteous mammon act wisely 
for a day; those who make an unselfish use of it act 
wisely forever (xvi. 9). (e) The supreme test of Chris- 
tian discipleship is found not in the renunciation, but 
in the consecration of riches (xviii. 22-27). (0 The 
greatest in the kingdom are those who best serve 
their fellow-men (xxii. 26). In this age of the king- 
dom the possession or non-possession of benevolence 
as a principle of social service is the criterion by 
which men are judged. (See Matt, xxv.) 

(3) Love is looked upon as a social force — the mightiest 
and most aggressive force in social life, the main- 
spring of all reformatory activity. The good Samari- 
tan, moved with compassion, did something for the 
wounded Jew. His compassion was not a mere effer- 
vescence of sentiment; it was a dynamic, driving 
force, active and practical. It moved to merciful 
deeds. The new age is ruled by the new command- k 
ment of Jesus, "Love one another as I have loved [ 
you." Every Christian is a philanthropist. 

9. An optimistic outlook upon the world. Men are 
lost, but they can be saved. The Jesus of Luke be- 
lieved in human recoverability. He despaired of no 



70 The Teachings of the Books 



man (vi. 35, R. V. marginal reading). He believed 
that the exile could be restored to fellowship with 
God, that the most degraded could be transformed by 
grace into the divine image, that a glorious destiny- 
was possible for all men. 

Luke has also a bright, prophetic vision of what is 
coming to the world. His gospel has been called 
"the gospel of the future," because it opens up an 
enchanting view of what the future is to bring. It 
sees close at hand "the days of vengeance, that all 
things which are written may be fulfilled" (xxi. 22). 
The days of vengeance are to usher in the day of 
salvation; the day of tribulation is to usher in the day 
of glory. A transforming power has already been 
lodged in humanity, which is to make all things new. 
Better lives are to bring a better social order, better 
citizens are to bring a better city, better men are to 
bring a better world. The world into which Christ 
has put Himself has its salvation assured. The 
words of Old Testament prophecy quoted at the 
beginning of this book, "All flesh shall see the salva- 
tion of God," sound its triumphant keynote. Into an 
appreciation of this evangel of hope the thought of 
the Church is slowly but surely growing. 



THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN 



The three representative apostles were Peter, 
Paul, and John. Peter, the leader of the Twelve, was 
the exponent of primitive Jewish Christianity. Paul, 
the late-chosen apostle, had for his special mission 
the proclamation of the gospel among the Gentiles. 
John, the latest survivor of the apostles, faced the 
second century with a still broader and deeper spirit- 
ual conception of a universal Christianity. The cen- 
ter of Peter's operations was Jerusalem, that of Paul 
was Antioch, that of John was Ephesus. From Ephe- 
sus came the latest words of the New Testament. 

THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 

The Johannine authorship of the fourth gospel may 
be safely assumed. The pendulum of opinion has 
recently swung to the side of the early date of this 
book. It is generally conceded to have been written 
about the close of the first century. The book itself 
possesses internal evidence of belonging to the apos- 
tolic age. It is evidently the work of a Palestinian 
Jew who was familiar with Jewish feasts and customs, 
and hence accurate in all his topographical and geo- 
graphical references. Confirmatory evidence of its 
Johannine authorship is found in the recurrence of 
words and phrases found in the Apocalypse and in the 
Epistles of John. It is just such a work as we might 
expect John to produce. By his intimate association 

7i 



72 The Teachings of the Books 



with Jesus, by his participation in all the changing 
phases of Christian thought and activity, he was 
providentially prepared to confirm and complete the 
records of the synoptists. Whether the final verdict 
of criticism shall be that the work is the product of 
the pen of St. John, with slight additions by later 
hands, or that it was produced in the circle of his dis- 
ciples and embodies his customary teachings, the 
Johannine character of the work is accepted with few 
dissenting voices. The claims made in behalf of the 
Presbyter John, as the author of this and the other 
related New Testament works, are far from con- 
vincing. 

TIME AND PLACE 

Writing at the close of the first century from 
Ephesus, the center of Asiatic culture, John felt the 
atmosphere of time and place. He sought to supply an 
antidote to the prevailing Gnostic philosophy, which, 
by denying the divinity and preexistence of Christ 
was imperiling the faith of the Church in a divine reve- 
lation; and to the Docetic heresy, which by denying 
the reality of the humanity of Christ, was imperiling 
the faith of the Church in a divine revelation in a 
human life. His gospel, however, is not polemical. 
It rises above the clouds of controversy, and presents 
constructively the true Christian gnosis, as realized in 
the knowledge of the Incarnate Word. 

THE WRITER 

John was a Jew, a Galilean, and a disciple of John 
the Baptist. The name bestowed upon James and 
John by Jesus, Boanerges, gives an index to their char- 



The Gospel According to John 73 



acter. He had the tropical, volcanic temperament 
which belongs to poetic natures. That he was very- 
human is seen in his intolerance, his outbursts of 
anger, and in his worldly ambition (Luke ix. 49-56, 
Mark x. 35). The discipline of life wrought great 
changes in him, and before his life came to a close 
the rushing torrent had changed into a calm, majestic 
river, the son of thunder into the apostle of love. 
John, from the first, was one of the inner circle of 
disciples whom the Master gathered around Him. 
He speaks of himself with veiled modesty as "the 
disciple whom Jesus loved." He was present at the 
transfiguration, and also at the trial and crucifixion. 
To his loving care Jesus committed his mother. He 
was with the disciples after the resurrection, was for 
a time the companion of Peter, and although less 
prominent after Pentecost than before it, he was a 
potent factor in the life of the early Church. Long 
after the other disciples had passed away he lived a 
life of quiet usefulness, bringing forth fruit in old age. 
Of that fruit, so rich and ripe, the fourth gospel forms 
no meager part. 

STRUCTURE OF THE GOSPEL 

The striking differences in point of view, structure, 
and atmosphere between this gospel and the synop- 
tics impress the most casual reader. They dwell 
upon the Galilean ministry of Jesus; this upon the 
work in Judea. They follow in general a chronolog- 
ical plan based on the outline presented in Mark; 
John's method is rather logical than chronological, 
illustrating the development of both faith and unbelief 
in the circle about Jesus. On the other hand, the 



74 The Teachings of the Books 



synoptic gospels are almost entirely lacking in refer- 
ences to Jewish feasts, by means of which some esti- 
mate of the length of Jesus' ministry may be formed, 
while in the fourth gospel such allusions are numerous. 
The earlier gospels tell the story of Christ in simple 
narrative form, without attempting explanations; 
John's gospel is reflective, theological, at times argu- 
mentative. The main divisions of the book are as 
follows: I. Witnesses to Christ (Chaps, i-iv). After 
the Prologue (i. 1-18), in which the eternal character 
of the Logos is stated, the testimony of various wit- 
nesses to the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son 
of God, the incarnation of the divine life, is presented. 
These include the witness of John the Baptist (i. 19- 
34), of Andrew (i. 40, 41). of Philip (i. 45), of Nathan- 
iel (i. 49), of Nicodemus (iii. 1, 2), of John the 
Baptist again (iii. 22-36), of the Samaritan woman 
(i y - 39), and of the Samaritans (iv. 41, 42). II. The 
development of unbelief (Chaps, v-xii). Hand in. 
hand with the acceptance of Jesus by some of the 
people, went his rejection by others, and this rejec- 
tion constitutes the second section of the book. 
There are still presented certain manifestations of 
faith, as in the case of the multitude (vi. 14), of 
the disciples (vi. 68, 69), of the people at the feast 
(vii. 31-40), of the man who was healed of blindness 
(i. 17, 38), of Martha (ix. 27), of some of the Jews at 
Bethany (xi. 45), the joyous demonstration of the 
people at the triumphal entry (xii. 12-19), and the 
request of certain Greeks (xii. 20, 21). But these 
instances of faith are presented rather as contrasts 
to the growing unbelief and opposition, indicated in 
the persecution of Jesus for healing on the Sabbath 



The Gospel According to John 



75 



(v. 16), the departure of many disciples from further 
association with Him (vi. 66), the attempt upon His 
life, necessitating His retirement to Galilee (vii. i), 
the unbelief of His own brothers (vii. 5), doubt and 
opposition in Jerusalem (vii. 12, 25, 30, 32, 43, 44), 
the attempt to involve Him regarding the law (vii. 3-6), 
the charge of possessing a demon (viii. 48-52), the 
attempt upon His life (viii. 59), the cruel treatment of 
the man who confessed Him as the one who had 
healed him (ix. 34), His retirement to Perea for safety 
(x. 39, 40), the feeling of the disciples that it was 
dangerous for Him to visit the vicinity of Jerusalem 
(xi. 8, 16), and the fixed purpose of the Jews to put 
Him to death (xi. 47-57). This final resolution of the 
authorities marks the approach of the "hour" to 
which Jesus had been looking forward as the culmina- 
tion of His work. When the end is thus clearly 
brought into view, and Jesus recognizes it by permit- 
ting that outburst of popular applause which marked 
Palm Sunday, and which he had hitherto restrained, 
the evangelist pauses, and sums up in the closing 
paragraphs of this section with the fact and the sig- 
nificance of the national rejection of the one to whom 
so many witnesses had borne testimony, as the Mes- 
siah, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world (xiii. 
36-50). III. Jesus and the Twelve (Chaps, xiii. - 
xvii). Thus rejected by the world, Jesus retired into 
the bosom of that inner circle of disciples whose 
training had constituted the chief purpose of His 
ministry. These chapters include some of the most 
precious teachings of our Lord. IV. Final manifesta- 
tion and victory through the passion and the resurrec- 
tion (Chaps, xviii.-xxi.). 



76 The Teachings of the Books 



CHARACTERISTICS OF JOHN'S GOSPEL 

1. The presence of the personal equation. John pro- 
fesses to give a record of the things of Christ which 
he had "seen and heard" (i. 14). He does something 
more. He gives a statement of what he thinks about 
the things concerning Christ which he had seen and 
heard. It is often difficult to tell where the words of 
Jesus end and the commentary of John begins. Take, 
e. g. y the third chapter of his gospel, and try to find 
out the dividing line. The method of John, as com- 
pared with that of the other evangelists, throws a 
flood of light upon the subject of inspiration. What- 
ever else it is, inspiration is not divine dictation. It 
assumes a great variety of forms. Matthew's gospel 
is "the child of memory"; Mark's gospel is largely 
the work of an amanuensis; Luke's gospel is the pro- 
duction of a painstaking collector of oral and written 
data; John's gospel is the result of the brooding of a 
philosophic mind over the deep things involved in the 
historical facts narrated by the other evangelists. 
The Spirit of God makes use of all kinds of instru- 
ments, but how He operates upon them and through 
them we can never know. In ordinary Christian 
experience "we do not know how our spirits are acted 
upon by the Eternal Spirit, though we do not question 
the fact." (Liddon.) So with regard to the writers 
of the New Testament, we know not how they were 
acted upon by the Eternal Spirit, but we do not ques- 
tion the fact. And there we may safely rest the case 
of the doctrine of inspiration. 

2. John is a seer. He sees truth in the concrete, 
not in the abstract. Spiritual realities are to him 



i 



The Gospel According to John 77 

real things. He sees things in their wholeness, and 
not as mere fragments. Not without reason has he 
been called "St. John the divine." He is the theo- 
logian among the apostles. He makes the historical 
facts which the synoptists record "the objects of the- 
ological meditation." He is no less intellectual than 
mystical ; no less logical than intuitive. His theology 
is not judicial and forensic like that of Paul, but 
natural and vital. The mind of the apostle seems to 
see all things in their principles and essential ideas. 

"All forces of goodness are comprehended by him 
under some general idea like light or truth, while all 
the forms of evil are summed up as darkness and 
falsehood." (Stevens.) 

3. Religion is presented in Johrfs gospel as the pro- 
gressive attainment of the perfect life by the inworking of 
divine power. This life is part of the eternal life ; it 
is not broken by death, but is one and continuous 
forever. 

4. This gospel is not the gospel of the coming kingdom, 
but the gospel of the kingdom that has come. It begins in 
heaven, opening with the declaration of Christ's pre- 
existence. Omitting all reference to His birth, it 
passes on from His manifestation in the flesh to His 
second advent in spiritual power. In the spiritual 
presence of Christ it finds the realization of the king- 
dom of God. Outward signs of His presence are no 
longer necessary. His presence is now a subjective 
reality in Christian experience. The eschatological 
discourses, so fully recorded in the synoptical gospels, 
are entirely omitted. And why? Because they have 
passed into history. If these discourses had referred 
to events still lying in the future, there is no reason 



78 



The Teachings of the Books 



why John should have passed them over in silence. 
Their omission is intelligible only on the assumption 
that their prophetic utterances had already been ful- 
filled. 

5. John's theology is in accordance with his personal 
development. It is bound to control the thought of the 
coming years. Peter occupied a place of power in the 
Roman Church down to the Reformation. Since the 
Reformation Paul's theology has been dominant. 
The theology of the future, while combining in one 
harmonious whole all that is vital in Peter, Paul, and 
John, will give prominence to the thought of John. 
The impress of ultimate utterances which is upon 
John's words marks them as the final words in an age- 
long process of revelation. 

6. There is in John's gospel a suggestion of the infi- 
nite. It deals with the divine side of Christ's life, 
and with the heaven side of religion. Its point of 
view is exalted. Matthias Claudius, writing a cen- 
tury ago, says: "I have from my youth up read the 
Bible with delight, but most of all I love to read St. 
John. In him is something altogether marvelous; 
dim twilight and the darkness of night, and through 
them now and again the swiftly flashing lightning; the 
soft evening cloud, the quiet full moon, bodily, in all 
her glory; something so grandly somber and lofty and 
soul-searching that one can never be satisfied. I 
cannot at once understand all I read. Often it is as 
if what John meant hovered about me in the distance; 
but even when I look far into a wholly obscure place, 
I have still a foreshadowing of a great, majestic mean- 
ing which some time I shall comprehend. Therefore, 
I seize eagerly upon every fresh interpretation of John, 



The Gospel According to John 79 



though for the most part they only ruffle the edges of 
the evening cloud, while the moon behind holds on 
her tranquil way. " 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

During the forty years which stretch between the 
first gospel and the fourth there is a marked devel- 
opment of Christian truth. Years of growing Chris- 
tian experience throw light upon the sayings and 
doings of Jesus. He has become larger in the 
thought of His people. John's gospel is a watermark 
which indicates how high the tide of Christological 
thought had risen about the close of the first century 
of the Christian age. 

The value of this gospel cannot be overestimated. 
"The gospels are the crown of the sacred writings," 
says Origen: "that of John is the crown of the gos- 
pels." "Written by the hand of an angel," is the 
enthusiastic language of Herder. With all sobriety it 
may be said to have been written by the hand of an 
angelic man. Every line shows keen spiritual instinct 
and mature intellectual power. The writer is an 
idealist. He has the. gift of sight rather than of logic. 
He sees things in the concrete. His pictures have no 
shadings. He deals in unqualified contrasts. A 
sharply defined dualism runs through his writings; 
light is contrasted with darkness, good with evil, 
Christ with Satan, the kingdom of God's enemy with 
the kingdom of His Son. Between these contrasted 
sides of things there is uncompromising antagonism. 
A conflict is on which is to end at last in victory for 
the heaven side. 

John's gospel is said to be supplemental to the 



8o The Teachings of the Books 



writings of the synoptists. And so it is, but not by 
fixed design. John is himself. He writes out of the 
depths of his own experience. His central aim is to 
reveal the glory of his Lord. He soars high. He 
gives "the echo of the older gospels in the upper 
choirs" (Herder). The distinctive characteristic of 
his gospel is its sublimity. It gives : 

i. A sublime conception of Christ; presenting Him, 
not as an ideal man, but as the divine Son who is one 
with the Father, and in whom dwells all "the fullness 
of the Godhead bodily. " No one was better qualified 
to write the inner or spiritual biography of Jesus than 
the disciple whom He loved and who enjoyed His 
closest intimacy. No one ever dropped a deeper 
plummet-line into the depths of His divine nature. 
"The heart of Christ" is the name which Ernesti 
gives the fourth gospel. 

The proem of this gospel sounds its lofty keynote. 
These five verses contain a general statement of the 
subject of the gospel. They set forth: (i) The deity 
of Christ. In the opening sentence, "In the beginning 
was the Word," there is a suggestion of the opening 
words of Genesis, "In the beginning God." The ex- 
pression "The Word was God" closes the writer's 
argument for the deity of Christ. (2) His preexist- 
ence. "The Word was with God, " dwelling in heaven 
eternally before He came to earth. (3) His creator- 
ship. "All things were made by Him." He was the 
medium of creative activity. (4) His mediatorship. 
"In Him was life and the life was the light of men." 
He was a chosen vessel to convey to men the life and 
light of God. 

The assertion of His deity is followed by the asser- 



The Gospel According to John 81 

tion of His humanity. "The Word became flesh and 
tabernacled among us" (i. 14). The divine Logos 
became the incarnate Logos. He became the revealer 
of the Father. His "revelation-value" lay in this, 
that by Him divine love was made audible and visible. 
The Father struggling to express Himself found 
utterance in Jesus. Jesus was to the mind of the 
Father what a word is to the mind of man — the vehicle 
of expression and communication. He was the goal 
of divine revelation. This is John's central thought; 
and hence his gospel has been called the gospel of the 
incarnation. John speaks of himself as an eye-witness 
of the manifested glory of the incarnate Word. "We 
beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from 
the Father" (i. 14).* The vision of which he writes 
was not received at second-hand. It was one which his 
own eyes had beheld. 

With John the divine glory of Christ is always 
bursting through its earthly guise. This takes place 
in small things as well as in great. It is John who 
tells us that when Judas came with a cohort of soldiers 
to arrest Jesus there was a sudden outflashing of His 
glory, and "they went backward and fell to the 
ground" (xviii. 6). And yet the Eternal Word, whose 
effulgent glory is c too bright for human eyes, is sub- 
ject to human infirmities; He is hungry (iv. 31); He 
is wearied (iv. 6); He is troubled in spirit (xi. 33); He 
is sorrowful (xi. 36). He is very man and very God. 

2. A sublime conception of the teachings of Jesus. 
Jesus speaks as a man, but He speaks with the accent 
of God. He speaks the absolute, final, authoritative 

*"We theatrized His glory'" would be a more exact rendering. It is 
suggested that His glory was gazed upon with the same rapturous delight 
with which men gaze upon the scenes in a theatre. See The Expository Times, 
Vol, X„ p. 473. 



82 The Teachings of the Books 



word from which there is no appeal. John the Bap- 
tist was a voice dying away in the wilderness (i. 23); 
Jesus was the living Eternal Word (i. 1). John was a 
hand-lamp, shining for a season and going out (v. 35); 
Jesus was the unsetting sun of eternal truth, "the true 
light which lighteth every man coming into the world" 
(i. 9). (1) John reports the profound, mysterious say- 
ings which Jesus speaks concerning Himself, and in 
which He gives a glimpse into the hidden depths of 
His divine consciousness. In these seven "I ams" 
Jesus tells us something of what He is. He says, "I 
am the bread of life" (vi. 35), the living and life-giving 
bread by which the world is fed; "I am the light of 
the world" (viii. 12), the sun and center of the moral 
universe; "I am the door" (x. 9), the only entrance 
into the divine fold; "I am the good shepherd" 
(x. 14), the guide and deliverer of humanity; "I am 
the resurrection and the life" (xi. 25), the vanquisher 
of death, the quickener of the spiritual nature of man; 
t4 I am the way and the truth and the life" (xiv. 6), 
the way to the Father, the revelation of truth, 
the opened fountain of life; "I am the true vine" 
(xv. 1), from which every holy and fruitful life is 
nourished.* In these seven self-appellations Jesus in 
effect says, "All that humanity needs, that I am." 
(2) He gives the conversations of Jesus with indi- 
viduals, of which there are fifteen — viz., with Andrew 
and another of John the Baptist's disciples (i. 39) ; 
with Simon Peter (i. 42); with Nathanael (i. 45-51); 
with an officer of Herod (iv. 46-54); with Nicodemus 
(iii. 1-15); with a woman of Samaria (iv. 1-30); with 
a paralytic at the pool of Bethesda (v. 5-18); with a 

*The synoptists tell us what Christ is ; they reveal the man in his deeds. 
John tells us who Christ is; he reveals His inner essential nature, 



The Gospel According to John 



83 



man born blind (v. 1-12); with Mary and Martha 
(xi. 20-48); with Judas Iscariot (xiii. 17-30); with 
Philip (xiv. 8-1 1); with Pilate (xviii. 33-40) ; with 
Thomas (xx. 26-29); with Peter by the lake (xxi. 
15-18). In all these personal conversations soul 
speaks to soul. The Good Physician deals with each 
case separately, suiting His treatment to special cir- 
cumstances and needs. (3) The final discourses of 
Jesus in chapters xiv., xv., and xvi. In these allegor- 
ical, mystical discourses Jesus speaks His inmost 
thoughts, unfolding the doctrine of His personal 
spiritual presence, which is the leading characteristic 
of the new age — the age now current. His words are 
a great deep; but there is no mystery in His words 
that is not in Himself, as there is no mystery in Him- 
self that is not in His words. (4) The farewell prayer 
of Jesus (xvii.), in which as the great High Priest of 
humanity He pours out His soul, praying for Himself 
that He might be glorified in the accomplishment of 
His work (1-6), for His disciples that they might be 
kept in His name (6-9), for His people that they might 
be one (20, 21), for the world that it might be saved 
(21-23). 

These final words of Jesus are freely reported by 
John from memory. They may not be always exact 
in their outward form, but the spirit of the Master is 
in them. "The mouth of John," says Ewald, "is the 
mouth of the glorified Christ." 

3. A sublime coizception of the religion of Jesus. The 
evangelist, who emphasizes the spiritual side of the 
life of Jesus, emphasizes the spiritual side of religion. 
Religion is with him ethical and inward. He perhaps 
has too little regard for "the form of godliness." Of 



84 The Teachings of the Books 



institutional religion he has little to say. Even the 
ordinance of the Lord's Supper is passed over with- 
out a word.* 

His one undeviating aim is to set forth what is cen- 
tral and essential in religion. This he finds in the life 
of God manifested in Christ, and by Him communi- 
cated to man. With the synoptists the kingdom of 
God is the highest good; with John the kingdom has 
come, and the highest good is the eternal, absolute, 
perfect life possessed by Christ in fullness and 
imparted to all who, by coming into union with 
Him, have entered into the kingdom. (1) This life 
comes by birth (iii. 3). (2) It is produced by the 
inworking of the Holy Spirit (iii. 5). (3) It is the 
result of faith in a crucified Savior objectively revealed 
(iii. 14, 15). Through the revelation of Christ the 
Spirit operates. (4) It is qualitative rather than 
quantitative — not eternal existence, but "eternal life" 
(iii. 16). (5) It is self-developing. It develops from 
within, continuously and progressively (x. 10). (6) It 
is a present possession, existing germinally in the 
believer (v. 24). (7) It is derived from Christ (iii. 15). 
(8) It is conditioned upon faith. Faith begets spiritual 
life. It has life-giving power because it appropriates 
the life of Christ (vi. 51-54). (9) It is realized in the 
knowledge of God — not in knowing about God, but in 
knowing God. "This is life eternal that they should 
know Thee, the only true God, and Him whom thou 
didst send, even Jesus Christ" (xvii. 3). The knowl- 
edge of God is not merely the way to eternal life ; in it 

* While John makes nothing of liturgy, his gospel forms, as Resch, a 
modern German scholar has shown, the foundation of the earliest liturgical 
literature in the Christian Church. Echoes of his gospel are found in the 
liturgical forms of The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles. 



The Gospel According to John 85 



eternal life consists. In the knowledge, love, and 
enjoyment of the true God, and the Christ through 
whom He is made known, is realized the eternal, ideal 
life, which is appropriately represented as "the life 
that is life indeed" (I. Tim. vi. 19). From this new, 
divine life all moral goodness springs. 

4. A sublime conception of the human activity of Jesus. 
His human activity is not only an expression of divine 
power, it is a manifestation of divine glory. In His 
first miracle, which was a foreshadowing of His earthly 
work, "Jesus manifested His glory (ii. 11). The 
resuscitation of Lazarus was to the end "that the Son 
of God might be glorified thereby" (xi. 4). His 
entire life, in all its varied activities, was the outshin- 
ing of His hidden glory. 

5. A sublime conception of the death of Jesus. (1) He 
was not robbed of life; he laid it down (x. 11). (2) 
His death was not so much humiliation as it was glori- 
fication (xii. 23). (3) It is the source of life — a buried 
seed, which by dying becomes fruitful (xii. 24). (4) 
The source of power; by it Christ draws all men unto 
Himself (xii. 32). (5) The means by which He secures 
"authority over all flesh" (xvii. r, 2). By His humili- 
ation comes exaltation ; by His death comes life. 
The cross of sacrifice is the throne of power. 

6. A sublime conception of the Christian life. John's 
gospel deals with the deep, spiritual truths of the 
inner life. In it there is an absence of the objective 
ground of forgiveness which is so prominent in the 
writings of Paul. It is preeminently the gospel for 
Christians. (1) It represents Christians as sustaining 
a vital, mystical relation to Christ, being one with 
Him as the branch is one with the vine. (xv. 5). (2) 



86 The Teachings of the Books 



They are one with Him in service (xx. 21). (3) They 
are one with Him in suffering (xv. 20). (4) They are 
to be one with Him in glory (xvii. 24). (5) They 
are governed by "the law of Christ" (xiii. 34, xiv. 21). 
(6) They are "sons of light" (xii. 36). (7) They are 
illumined and led by the Holy Spirit (xiv. 16-26, xvi. 7). 
(8) They are spiritually one, belonging to different 
folds, but constituting one flock (x. 16). (9) They are 
to become visibly and organically one that the world 
may believe in Christ as the head of a new, world- 
wide order (xvii. 23). With John the kingdom of Jesus 
"is not of this world" (xvii. 10). It is a spiritual, in- 
terior thing, established first of all in the Christian 
heart, and from that center working out into every 
ramification of social life. One of the grave dangers 
of the present day lies in losing sight of the inner side 
of the kingdom. 

7. A sublime conception of the operation of spiritual 
law. (1) The miracles of Jesus are the natural works 
of a supernatural being. They are" not sudden irrup- 
tions of power overturning natural law. The super- 
natural is not the unnatural. At bottom the natural 
and the supernatural are one. Take for illustration 
the miracle of changing water into wine, which was 
the shortening of a natural process (ii. 1-12). (2) 
Penalty is not something arbitrarily imposed. It 
grows out of the nature of sin, which is a power unto 
disintegration and ruin. (3) Rewards are spiritual. 
They are the harvests of the past. (4) The coming of 
Christ is not a literal, outward coming, as in the synop- 
tic gospels; but a spiritual presence, pervasive and 
universal, taking its place in the new order of things, 
and operating under the ordinary laws of spiritual 



The Gospel According to John 



87 



influence. (5) Worship is not a thing of times and 
places. It is unlocalized, spiritual, universal (iv. 1). 

8. A sublime conception of the unseen realm. (1) 
Heaven is the Father's house, the heavenly, the arche- 
typal home, (xiv. 2). (2) Into that upper home Christ 
brings His own (xiv, 3, 4). (3) By calling one back 
who had entered it He showed that the unseen world 
is not far away (xi. 43, 44). (4) By appearing to His 
disciples in His spiritual and glorified body He linked 
together the earthly and heavenly states (xx. 21). At 
the beginning of His ministry He promised to open 
heaven to His disciples (i. 51). This may be taken as 
a definition of His earthly work. He brings to view 
the glory of the invisible and eternal world, in the light 
of which He ever walked. To reveal this supermun- 
dane sphere of things, of which we catch but fleeting 
glimpses, is the province of John's gospel. 

At the close of this gospel its object is definitely 
stated. "These things are written that ye may be- 
lieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and 
that believing, ye may have life in His name" (xx. 31). 
The message of this book is emphatically needed to- 
day to confirm the faith of the Church in Christ the 
Uncreated Life, that from Him there may flow into 
it in larger measure those vital forces which make 
for righteousness, personal and social. 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 



This treatise, like Luke's gospel — of which it is a 
continuation — is dedicated by its author. to his friend 
Theophilus. Theophilus was in all probability a Gen- 
tile Christian. The title "excellent" used in address- 
ing him seems to be a term of respect generally 
applied to officers. It may therefore indicate that 
Theophilus was a man of rank. We are not to sup- 
pose that this "treatise" was written by Luke merely 
for private perusal of his friend. It was evidently 
meant to be given through him to a wide circle of 
readers. 

MOTIVE FOR WRITING THE BOOK 

The book of Acts bears every evidence of having 
been written to exploit the work of the great apostle 
of the Gentiles, and its earlier chapters record events 
which constitute the material and necessary introduc- 
tion to his main task. The acquaintance between 
Luke and Paul, which began at Troas, or possibly 
earlier, at Antioch, bound the two men together in a 
life-long friendship. 

Luke was a member of the party which accom- 
panied Paul on his voyage to Macedonia. He was 
also his close companion during his stay in Philippi 
(xvi. 10-16), although he did not share in the ill-treat- 
ment which Paul received, probably on account of his 
Greek dress and bearing. That he did not accompany 

88 



The Acts of the Apostles 



8 9 



the apostle on his departure from Philippi is shown by 
the change in the narrative from the use of the first 
person plural to the third (xvi. 40). He does not 
come into view again in connection with Paul until 
some years later, when he joined him at Philippi in 
the course of his land journey from Corinth through 
Macedonia toward Jerusalem. From this time the 
two men were never separated during all the subse- 
quent experiences recorded in the Acts. 

Of Luke's work during the years that intervened 
between Paul's departure from Philippi (xv. 40) and 
his return to that city (xx. 3-6) only two rather ques- 
tionable hints are afforded. In II. Cor. viii. 18 the 
apostle speaks of an unnamed brother whom he sent 
as the companion of Titus to Corinth, probably on the 
occasion of his transmission of his second letter to the 
Church in that place, and he refers to him as one 
whose praise in the gospel* is spread throughout all 
the churches. The other instance is that of his taking 
this same unnamed party as his companion in his jour- 
neys among the churches to receive their offerings for 
the poor saints at Jerusalem. This brother has been 
by some identified as Luke. And the subscription to 
II. Corinthians in the Authorized Version states dis- 
tinctly that that epistle "was written from Philippi," 
a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas." If these 
guesses could be verified, they would afford presump- 
tive proof that Luke had spent the interval between 
Paul's visits in ministries directly connected with the 
advancement of Christianity. Be that as it may, the 
narrative of the final journey of Paul from Philippi to 

*The expression " in the gospel" cannot of course refer to the written 
gospel of Luke as some have fancied, but to the general propagation of the 
faith. 



9° 



The Teachings of the Book 



Jerusalem bears all the marks of an observant eye-wit- 
ness. The incidents of the voyage are set down with 
care, and the interviews with James in Jerusalem are 
described as could have been done only by one who 
was present. Of the subsequent events, the assault 
upon Paul, his rescue by the Roman troops, his hear- 
ing in Jerusalem, his speedy removal to Cassarea for 
safety, and his imprisonment there, Luke speaks as 
one who was always close at hand, although he is 
careful not to mention himself. He again appears 
in the graphic description of the voyage to Rome, 
with its shipwreck scene; a narrative whose vividness, 
and archaeological accuracy could hardly be sur- 
passed. During the two years of Paul's imprison- 
ment — certainly at one time in that period — Luke was 
with the apostle as one of his helpers, and his saluta- 
tion was joined with those of the other companions of 
Paul in the epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon 
(Col. iv. 14, Phil. 24). Still later, at the moment when 
Paul felt that the end was fast approaching, and 
when he was dispatching a message to Timothy to 
take John Mark with him and hasten to his side, Luke 
alone was with him, others of his fellow-workers having 
gone on distant missions, and some having forsaken 
him. The friendship begun in Troas in A. D. 51 had 
grown steadily through the years, till at the close of 
the apostle's career in A. D. 66 or 67, Luke, if not 
the most conspicuous of Paul's helpers, was at least 
one of the most faithful, and his name will ever be 
held in loving remembrance by the Church as the 
sympathetic biographer of the great apostle, and inci- 
dentally the earliest historian of the Christian Church. 



The Acts of the Apostles 



9 1 



STRUCTURE OF ACTS 

The book falls naturally into two sections, the line 
between which is drawn at the opening of chapter 
xiii. It is not difficult to perceive that the interest of 
the writer lies with the second of these sections, that 
dealing with the ministry of the apostle Paul. The 
principal source for this division of the book is found 
in the so-called "we" passages (xvi. 10-17, xx - S- 1 ^, 
xxi. 1-18, xxvii. 1 to xxviii. 16), i. e. s those in which the 
first person plural is used in describing the journeys 
of the apostle and his companions. We are here un- 
questionably following the personal journal of an 
intimate friend of Paul, who traveled with him at 
various times. Whether the other portions of the 
second section are by the same hand is still a question 
for criticism to determine, though it may be said that 
there seems to be a growing disposition to regard the 
author of the "we" sections as the writer of the 
whole. This decision would go far toward placing 
the Lukan authorship beyond question. It is highly 
probable that Luke kept a journal of his travels with 
Paul, and later supplemented the material therein 
contained with the personal recollections of the apos- 
tle, which would afford sufficient data for the contents 
of xiii. -xxviii. Of the earlier section, i.-xii., the 
records would naturally be found in Judea, and 
largely in the Jerusalem church, and the residence of 
Luke in Palestine for some two years would afford 
ample opportunity for the collection of these valuable 
memoirs, to be supplemented once more by the per- 
sonal recollections of Paul in those narratives involv- 
ing his own experiences, such as his conversion and 



gi The Teachings of the Books 



the journey to Jerusalem in company with Barnabas. 
Thus the two divisions of the book have to do with 
the leading figures of Peter and Paul respectively, 
and present inestimably precious memorials of the 
beginnings of Christianity. 

VALUE OF THIS BOOK 

The book of Acts is the background of all the 
epistles. It gives us a picture of New Testament 
Christianity which if not ideal, is real. Hence it is 
the most reliable missionary handbook. It shows the 
relation of Christianity to the political parties of the 
apostolic times, and to the common life of the people. 
It also supplies illuminating side-lights upon the social 
and political condition, not only of Palestine, but of 
the Roman world. But above all, it shows that the 
programme which Jesus set out to accomplish stood 
the test of experience, and that by His method of 
training the Twelve His influence was reduplicated. 
Although success came slowly, it came surely. The 
emancipation of Christianity from Judaism came as 
the transition of winter into spring. With the coming 
in of Gentile Christianity the Church entered upon its 
work of world-wide conquest. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

In this book Luke continues his record of the work 
of Christ. He sets before his friend Theophilus an 
account of the things which Jesus continued to do and 
teach from the time when he was taken up. He shows 
that the work of the risen, ascended, living, and 
reigning Christ is not ended, but that it goes on with 
augmented power. 



The Acts of the Apostles 93 



This treatise is our only source of information 
regarding the origins of Christianity. "It is the best 
as well as the first manual of Church history." 
(Schaff.) It covers a period of about thirty years, a 
formative, epochal period, into which are crowded 
many stirring and far-reaching events. 

Chief among the things which it describes are the 
following: 

1. A manifestation of divine power. This is per- 
haps the leading characteristic of the book. In 
the words, "Ye shall receive power after that the 
Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be my wit- 
nesses" (i. 8), we have the germ of all that follows. 

The hopes of the disciples had been frustrated. 
They were mourning a lost leader and a lost cause, 
when something happened which revolutionized them, 
and through them revolutionized the world. As "they 
all with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer" 
(i. 14), the Holy Spirit was outpoured. Instantly they 
were transformed. Common men became mighty 
through God to the pulling down of Satan's strong- 
holds. Into the hearts of that small and feeble band 
had come a power which was to shake the earth. Lit- 
tle did the world-rulers dream that in an obscure 
room in Jerusalem the mightiest movement of all time 
was being inaugurated. It was a day of small things, 
but God was in it. It was the birth in weakness of 
God's greatest work — the re-creation of a ruined 
world. 

In this book the Holy Spirit is the principal actor. 
He is referred to upward of seventy times. The 
book itself ought to be entitled "The Acts of the 
Holy Spirit," or "Acts of the Spirit wrought by 



94 The Teachings of the Books 



Apostolic Hands." As a record of His deeds it fur- 
nishes a sample of His general work.* 

2. The human factors. The acts of the Spirit are 
performed by the agency of redeemed men working in 
His power, employing the instrumentality of the gos- 
pel of Christ. (i) Specimens are given of apostolic 
preaching. Peter's Pentecostal sermon (ii. 14), his 
sermon in Solomon's porch (iii. 12), Philip's discourse 
to the Ethiopian eunuch (vii. 1), Paul's sermon 
before the Jews of Damascus (ix. 22), his sermon in 
Thessalonica (xvii. 3), his sermon in Corinth (xvii. 
5), his sermon in the Areopagus of Athens (xvii. 22), 
are all reported. And in all the theme is the same. 
While showing wonderful adaptation to their respect- 
ive audiences, the one aim which they have in com- 
mon is to prove that Jesus is the Messiah. 

Peter had the honor of preaching the first Christian 
sermon. As the Spirit's mouthpiece he preached with 
divine power. The people were astonished at his 
boldness, and that of John, seeing they were "un- 
learned and ignorant men" (iv. 13) — that is, men 
unlearned in Rabinnical lore; obscure men destitute 
of official rank — "and they took knowledge of them 
that they had been with Jesus," and had been taught 
of Him, and inspired by Him. Their power could be 
accounted for only by connecting them with the spirit 
of power in the prophet of Nazareth. (2) Specimens 
are given of apostolic conversions. These are eight in 
number, viz. : those of the three thousand on the day 
of Pentecost (ii. 36-47); those of the Samaritans (viii. 
12); that of the Ethiopian eunuch (viii. 27-40); that 

*In the Acts the Holy Spirit is connected with physical manifestations, 
in Paul's epistles mainly with the inner life. This is in harmony with the 
law of development. 



The Acts of the Apostles 95 



of Saul (ix. 1-19); those of Cornelius and his house- 
hold (x. 1-48); that of Lydia (xvi. 14-16); that of the 
jailer at Philippi (xvi. 25-34); those of Crispus and 
many of the Corinthians. These first fruits of a 
future harvest serve to illustrate with what fidelity 
the great commission of Jesus was fulfilled. They 
are typical cases, and show also how people were 
received into the new Christian society under apos- 
tolic administration. 

3. The founding of the Church. In the upper room 
the disciples ''stood by the cradle of the infant 
Church." The Church was not formally organ- 
ized; it grew out of the common life of the be- 
lievers as naturally as the flower grows from the seed. 
(1) It had a regenerate membership. "The Lord 
added to them day by day those that were being 
saved" (ii. 47). He joined together in one fellowship 
those in whom the saving process had begun. The 
early Church was not composed of those who had 
attained complete sainthood, but of those who had 
started in a course, those who had begun a warfare, 
those who had turned to the light, those who had 
acknowledged Jesus Christ as their Lord and Master. 
As soon as any one had started in the new life the 
Lord led him into the Church, and the Church 
received him with open arms. The Church had 
not yet begun to establish a system of quarantine, 
it had not yet begun to use doctrinal passwords, 
nor had it dreamt of excluding from its sheltering 
fold any one whom the Lord had received. (2) The 
early Apostolic Church was a self-governi?ig body. It 
was subject to no human authority. It acknowl- 
edged no headship save that of Christ. It ap- 



g6 The Teachings of the Books 



pointed its own officers (i. 26, vi. 3), deacons to 
look after the temporalities of the Church, arid elders 
to minister in spiritual things. This subdivision of 
labor was made on the ground of fitness; and those 
who "served tables, " and those who "gave themselves 
to prayer and the ministry of the word" were all alike 
the servants of Christ and His kingdom. (3) It was 
the center of a spiritual empire. As soon as the idea of 
a political theocracy was abandoned by the followers 
of Jesus, the Church took the place of the king- 
dom. To the Church which was they looked as the 
agency by which the rule of Christ was to be estab- 
lished in the earth. For the Church and through the 
Church they worked, believing that by its enlargement 
the kingdom was to come. 

4. The first attempt to realize the Christian ideal 
socially. The newly awakened sense of brotherhood 
led to the formation of a Christian commune, in which 
every one contributed to the common stock according 
to ability and drew out according to need (iv. 32-35). 
This community of goods was not an enforced rule; 
it was a free and spontaneous movement. It never 
became general, nor was it long continued. The 
world was not ripe for such a lofty ideal. It was an 
anticipation of the millennium, and had its value as a 
prophetic foreshadowing of the divine social order yet 
to be. The case of Ananias and Sapphira (v. 1-11) 
shows how mixed were the motives of some who pro- 
fessed to conform to the principles of this new social 
compact. The outbreak of jealousy on the part of 
the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because the 
former thought that their widows were neglected in 
the daily ministrations (vi. 2) shows how difficult it 



The Acts of the Apostles 



97 



was to make distributions from the common store to 
the satisfaction of everybody. But because the Chris- 
tian social ideal is too high for weak human nature in 
its present unsanctihed state to attain unto, must it 
therefore be abandoned? By no means. It is the 
appointed goal toward which humanity must eagerly 
and steadily press. 

5. New leaders. Carlyle says that the history of 
the world is the history of its great men. This is 
largely true of the Church. Behind the great move- 
ment which led to the planting of Christianity were 
great men who were providentially raised up as lead- 
ers. Up to this time Peter had been the most con- 
spicuous figure. Not far behind him were, James the 
Lord's brother, who was bishop of the Church in 
Jerusalem (xv. 13); Philip the Evangelist, who went 
outside the pale of Judaism, bringing many Samari- 
tans into the kingdom (viii. 25-40); Stephen, "a man 
full of grace and power," whose preaching set Jeru- 
salem in a blaze (v. 5-15, vii.). In every great crisis, 
when there has been special work to do, God has 
found men to do it. 

6. Growth by persecution. As the immediate result 
of the preaching of Stephen, the first persecution 
broke out. Stephen himself had the honor of being 
the first Christian martyr (vii. 59). His blood was 
the seed of the Church. The impression which his 
triumphant death made upon the mind of the young 
man Saul, who stood by holding the outer garments of 
those who stoned him to death, was in all likelihood 
an important link in the chain of events which led him 
to Christ. A Spanish painter represents Saul as hav- 
ing upon his face the shadow of his coming repentance, 



The Teachings of the Books 



and one of the ancient Fathers expressly declares 
"the Church owes Paul to Stephen." 

Not long after, a second persecution broke out, 
when James, the brother of John, was beheaded by- 
Herod (xii. i, 2), and Peter was imprisoned, but was 
miraculously delivered (xii. 3-19). 

By these persecutions the Christians were sifted. 
Their dispersion led to the spread of Christianity, 
for "they that were scattered abroad went everywhere 
preaching the word" (viii. 4-1 1, 19). The wind of 
persecution wafted the seed of the gospel into distant 
lands. Christianity spread not by organization, but 
by diffusion. The seed was lost in the soil, the leaven 
was lost in the meal. 

7. A new conception of Christianity. About this time 
a new name was coined to express the new idea con- 
cerning the religion of Jesus which was beginning to 
be held. It was called "the Way," or "that Way." 
Evidently it had come to be looked at as a mode of 
life, and not as a philosophy or creed or scheme of 
thought. Saul, the persecutor, went to Damascus 
with the avowed purpose that "if he found any that 
were of the Way he might bring them bound to Jeru- 
salem" (ix. 2). The people of that way of life were 
obnoxious to him. After his conversion, when Paul 
preached in Ephesus, it is said that "divers were 
hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of the Way 
before the multitude" (xix. 9). Prejudice against 
that way of life darkened their minds against the 
truth. When Paul preached in Asia "there arose no 
small stir concerning the Way" (xix. 23). Practical 
religion stirs men up, excites them, antagonizes them, 
divides them. Paul admits with sorrow that he had 



The Acts of the Apostles 



99 



"persecuted this Way unto the death" (xxii. 4) — that 
is, those who walked in it. Now he had come to love 
this way. Felix listened to Paul's plea with respect, 
"having perfect knowledge concerning the Way'* 
(xxiv. 22). He knew the manner of life which Chris- 
tians lived, he knew the principles of their religion, 
and hence he knew that the charges made against 
them were false. It was this ethical aspect of Chris- 
tianity which gave it its power. It was a new con- 
ception of life, a new way of living. 

8. Liberalizing tendencies. The tendency of Chris- 
tianity to burst its Jewish shell is illustrated in the 
liberalizing of Peter, "the apostle of the circumci- 
sion."* We find him in Joppa, lodging "with one 
Simon, a tanner" (ix. 43). That in itself was a bold 
thing for him to do, inasmuch as it involved social 
ostracism by the strict Jews. A tanner was an unclean 
person. For a Jew to be a tanner was deemed suffi- 
cient ground for divorce. Having relinquished his 
narrow Jewish prejudices so as to recognize a man in 
a tanner, he was on the way to still greater enlarge- 
ment. His emancipation was completed by a vision 
which taught him that no part of the human whole was 
to be despised, that God is no respecter of persons, 
and that His mercy is free to all (x. 9-23). It was on 
the roof of the tanner's house that this wider vision 
came to him. 

Later on, when he went to Antioch, Peter laid aside 
his Jewish scruples and lived for a time as did the 
Gentiles, but the liberty which he had in Christ he did 

♦All the first Jewish Christians adhered tenaciously to the law. They 
made no change in the practice of ceremonial observances. They kept the 
Jewish Sabbath, they attended the temple, they fulfilled ceremonial right- 
eousness. Jesus Himself was a conforming Jew. Gentiles were recognized 
only as proselytes coming through the portal of Judaism into the Church. 



LofC. 



ioo The Teachings of the Books 



not always consistently maintain (Gal. ii. 1-4). Hav- 
ing come in sight of the land of liberty he retired into 
the background, and allowed the new Joshua who had 
appeared to lead the people into it. In spite of occa- 
sional ebbings of the tide, the cause of liberty kept 
moving forward. Limited views of God's mercy 
melted away as the scope and spirit of Christianity 
became understood. By its expanding life Chris- 
tianity began to give proof that instead of being a Jew- 
ish sect, it was a world-wide religion. 

9. Paul. "Paul the incomparable" (Stalker) now 
comes into view, standing head and shoulders above 
the apostles. The three outstanding points in his 
religious life are: (1) His conversion. This was the 
most important event in the history of the early 
Church. As narrated in Chapters IX., XXII., and 
XXVI., his conversion is intensely dramatic. Miracu- 
lous elements were present, but these were merely 
incidental. There was an instantaneous change in 
the aims and purposes of life. This change came 
from a revelation of the glorified Christ; which was 
not a subjective experience, but an objective appear- 
ance. The volitional element is brought out in Paul's 
subsequent declaration, "I was not disobedient to 
the heavenly vision" (xxvi. 19). 

The conversion of Paul contains the germ of all 
his theology. Never was theology more firmly rooted 
in personal experience. The line of his Christological 
development, like that of the early Church, was from 
the divine Christ to the human Jesus. It is no acci- 
dent that the one who more than any other has given 
shape to Christian theology never saw Christ in the 
flesh, but knew Him only as the spiritual, indwelling 



The Acts of the Apostles 



ioi 



Christ who is present to the consciousness of the 
Church to-day. (2) His call to the apostleship. He was 
inwardly and divinely called to this high office (Gal. i. 
11-17). He was the last of the old order of apostles 
chosen directly by Christ, and the first of a new order 
who receive their commission not from man but from 
God, and are consecrated not by official hands, but by 
the anointing of the Holy Spirit. His claim to the 
apostleship is based upon the fact that he had seen 
the Lord, that his vision of Christ was real, and that 
therefore, he could testify to His resurrection. 

The old order of apostles is gone. The vacancies 
in their ranks were not filled up. Apostolic succes- 
sion is an ecclesiastic figment; the successors of the 
apostles in the present day are those who possess the 
apostolic spirit, and witness in their lives to Christ's 
resurrection power. 

(3) His mission to the Gentiles. He was a chosen 
vessel to bear the gospel to the Gentiles (ix. 15). For 
that work he was eminently qualified. His residence 
in a university city brought him into touch with Greek 
culture. He had been a distinguished pupil of Gama- 
liel, ' k the beauty of the law." His ripe scholarship, 
combined with his catholic spirit, fitted him in a 
peculiar degree to be the apostle of the educated 
class. God makes no mistakes in the selection of 
His instruments. A man's mental and spiritual outfit 
indicates the divine ordainment in life. 

10. The first Christian Council. See Chapter XV. 
This Council, which was held in Jerusalem, was not 
an ecclesiastical court, but a gathering for mutual 
conference. The subject discussed before it was the 
limits of Christian liberty. Circumcision had been 



102 



The Teachings of the Books 



imposed upon Gentile converts as a condition of church 
membership. This bondage to the law was felt to be 
irksome. It was also held to be wrong, and was 
heartily denounced by Paul as inconsistent with the 
freedom granted under the gospel. The crisis was 
serious. It seemed as if nothing could prevent 
disruption. Happily schism was averted by the tri- 
umph of the broader policy. Differences of opinion 
were recognized and respected; the principles of unity 
in things fundamental, and liberty in things non- 
essential, were affirmed. The declaration of spiritual 
independence was proclaimed, and the Church was 
saved. The influence of James, the bishop of the 
Church in Jerusalem, was perhaps the most potent 
factor in securing this happy result (v. 13-21). 

The catholicity of Paul, "the apostle of the uncir- 
cumcision, " is seen in the fact that while he plead for 
the largest liberty, he himself was subject to the law 
(xxi. 26). His spirit of conciliation was carried almost 
to the point of compromise by his agreeing to the cir- 
cumcision of Timothy (xvi. 1-3). 

11. A new center of operation. The center of oper- 
ation is now transferred from Jerusalem to Antioch. 
Here the disciples were first called Christians (xi. 26) — 
not in derision, but as indicating that they were now 
regarded as something more than a Jewish sect. 
The first Gentile Church was founded in Antioch by 
some obscure disciples who had been driven hither by 
persecution (xi. 19-21). This center of Greek culture 
was soon seized upon as a strategic point in the 
world-wide evangelism upon which the Church had 
entered. From it Christian heralds went forth to 
conquer the world for Christ. 



The Acts of the Apostles 



Paul and Barnabas, separated by the Holy Spirit 
to the work of converting the Gentiles, set out on their 
first missionary journey into Asia Minor (xiii. 2-5).* 
They proved to be true yoke-fellows. Is there not a 
hint of practical suggestiveness in the pairing of the 
disciples? Two are not only better than one, but two 
united are better than two separate and apart. 

Owing to a disagreement, Paul and Barnabas 
"parted asunder one from the other" (xv. 37-39), 
Paul choosing Silas for his companion, and Barnabas 
cleaving to Mark. Following their separate ways 
they went forth to preach the gospel, extending their 
labors into Europe. This period has been called 
"the Christian Odyssey." It was a period of unpar- 
alleled missionary conquest. The rapid progress 
which Christianity made in the first twenty years after 
the death of its founder presents a strong argument 
for its heavenly origin. The younger Pliny, who 
died as early as A.D. 113, writing from his distant 
provinces of Pontus and Bithynia, says that "the 
Christians filled all towns and market-places." 

When everything is most auspicious, suddenly the 
work is interrupted. As the result of a public furor 
which fanatical Jews from Asia Minor had raised 
against him, Paul was arrested. He defended himself 
before the people, and before the Sanhedrin, but 
without avail. His trial dragged through various 
weary stages. Finally he made his appeal to Caesar, 
and was sent under a guard to Rome. 

It had been the burning desire of Paul's heart to 

*As the result of this mission it is said that "as many as were ordained 
to eternal life believed" (xiii. 48). The word "ordained" means "set in 
order." As many as set themselves in order to eternal life— being determined 
to obtain it— believed, 



104 The Teachings of the Books 



visit Rome. Strange was the way in which Provi- 
dence granted his request. Not in this fashion had 
he thought of entering the City of the Seven Hills. 
But instead of moping over his unjust imprisonment, 
this "ambassador in bonds" made the most of the 
situation. He adjusted himself to his environment. 
For two years, while under military surveillance, "he 
dwelt in his own hired house, receiving all that went 
unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teach- 
ing the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ" 
(xxviii. 31). Largely through his influence, the gos- 
pel spread in the imperial city. During this time of 
enforced seclusion four of his epistles were written. 
He evidently came to see that 

" God moves in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform;" 

for writing to his friends at Philippi, he says, "the 
things that happened unto me have fallen out unto 
the progress of the gospel, so that my bonds became 
manifest in Christ in the whole Prsetorium, and to ail 
the rest" (Phil. i. 12, 13). His letter to the Philip- 
pians he closes with the words, "All the saints salute 
you, especially they that are of Caesar's household." 
Under the roof-tree of Nero, Christianity had found a 
place. 

There was a rift in the clouds. Paul seems to have 
obtained a temporary release, which he improved by 
making a missionary tour into Spain; but in the perse- 
cution which arose under Nero, after the burning of 
Rome, he was suddenly arrested, brought back to 
Rome, and put to death. Five years at most after his 
martyrdom Jerusalem fell before Titus, and when the 



The Acts of the Apostles 105 



awful storm in which it fell had spent its force the 
Jewish nationality was destroyed, the old religious 
order had passed away, and the mother Church was 
scattered to the winds. Meanwhile Christianity had 
become established in the world's political center. 
One mightier than all the Caesars sat upon the throne, 
holding in His nail-pierced hand the scepter of uni- 
versal dominion. 



THE PAULINE EPISTLES 



Before taking up these epistles in detail a few intro- 
ductory words are called for on the life and letters of 
St. Paul. 

HIS LIFE 

Paul stood in the same relation to early Christian- 
ity that Luther did to the Reformation. He was the 
foremost man in the apostolic Church. He was 
equally distinguished as a thinker and a worker. In 
the range of his thought and in the sweep of his mis- 
sionary sympathy and effort he was the least provin- 
cial of all the apostles. As the apostle of the Gen- 
tiles, he stands forth as the first representative of 
universal Christianity. 

The place of his birth was Tarsus, the chief town 
of Cilicia; the date of his birth is somewhat uncertain, 
but he must have been about thirty years of age at 
the death of Stephen. His parents, who were pious 
Jews of the Pharisaic party, had probably migrated 
from Jerusalem to Tarsus. His father was a Roman 
citizen, who had probably secured his freedom by 
service in the civil wars. Tarsus, the place of his 
birth, was the seat of a famous university, but it is 
doubtful whether Saul as the son of a Pharisee would 
be allowed to attend a heathen institution of learn- 
ing.* Yet he must have come into touch with its life 

*The Jewish spirit was opposed to the study of Greek literature and 
philosophy. When a young Raobi asked his teacher if he might not study 

1 06 



The Pauline Epistles 



and felt its influence. His rabbinical education he 
received at Jerusalem under Gamaliel, the grandson 
of Hillel. This great rabbi, who was a fair-minded 
man (Acts v. 34), had won the title "the beauty of 
the law." His instruction must have been valuable; 
but still more important as a preparation for his 
future work was the committing of the law to memory, 
which was the method pursued in this theological 
school. 

During his student life the great struggle in his 
soul began. His personal life was pure; he had kept 
himself unstained by the temptations of the city. Yet 
his heart had not found its center of rest. With all 
the ardor of his strong nature he took up the work of 
a defender of the faith of his fathers. After attend- 
ing school for probably eight or ten years, he was sent 
back to take charge of a synagogue in one of the 
provinces. At least he seems not to have been in 
Jerusalem during the closing scenes in the life of 
Christ, or there would have been some reflection of 
those events in his epistles. The success of the new 
sect of Christians, however, demanded a capable and 
zealous defender of Judaism in Jerusalem, and we soon 
find Paul back in that religious center and probably in 
charge of the synagogue of the Cilicians. From this 
time he is recognized as a leader in the persecution of 
the Christians. The Jews felt and Paul felt that if this 
new sect was to triumph, all the hope of Judaism had 
perished. It was while engaged in this work of harrying 
the Christians that he came in contact with Stephen for 
the first time. Paul was doubtless one of those who 



Greek philosophy, seeing- he had fully mastered the law, the reply, in con- 
sonance with an absurd literalistic reading of Joshua i. 8, was, "If you can 
find one hour not day or night, then study it." 



io8 The Teachings of the Books 



could not withstand the wisdom with which Stephen 
spoke. Yet he was not willing to yield to his reasoning. 
That last threatening, fiery speech of Stephen evidently 
made a great impression on him. The echoes from it 
are constantly ringing through his subsequent utter- 
ances. The upturned face of Stephen, shining with 
heavenly light, as he prayed that the sin of his cruel 
death might not be laid to the charge of his murder- 
ers, also deeply moved Paul's great heart. Yet he 
felt that the things affirmed by Stephen could not be 
true. The teachings of his parents, and of the rabbis, 
could not be false. This accursed sect must be blot- 
ted out. The work in Jerusalem was almost com- 
pleted when he obtained letters to Damascus that he 
might go there and finish the work of destruction. 
This was the beginning of the end of his opposition 
to Christianity. Henceforth he entered upon a new ex- 
perience. For the first time perhaps in weeks he stood 
face to face with himself, with his thoughts as his only 
companions. During that journey of six days, with 
no associates but a temple guard, with whom he had 
nothing in common, he was compelled to go over the 
experiences of the past, review the arguments, and 
ponder on the lives of those he had so actively perse- 
cuted. That Paul was immensely wrought upon by 
these things is shown by the fact that he was pressing 
on at midday in order to get into the midst of his 
work in Damascus. No sane man travels at midday 
in the Orient. While this conflict was going on in the 
mind of Paul, a light flashed out from heaven. Paul 
fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, "Saul, 
Saul, why persecutest thou Me? it is hard for thee to 
kick against the goads" — i. e. t against the prompt- 



1 



The Pauline Epistles 



109 



ings of your better nature. In the work of perse- 
cuting the Christians he had hoped to do something 
to satisfy his conscience, and to bring rest to his 
troubled heart. But when red-handed in the act of 
hunting down the followers of Jesus, persecuting 
them even to strange cities, Jesus met him on the 
way, revealing Himself to his spiritual nature, and 
bringing overwhelming conviction of his Messiahship, 
this proud young Pharisee no longer kicked against 
the goads, but yielding to the power of a conscience 
through which Christ spoke, he fell down at the feet 
of his glorified Lord in humility and contrition, making 
an absolute and unconditional surrender to His will. 
Henceforth his one aim in life was to do whatsoever 
the Lord would have him do. 

Then follows his baptism by Ananias (Acts ix. 17), 
and after that his retirement into Arabia (Gal. i. 17). 
It was too violent a change to begin to preach at once. 
It was necessary to retreat into solitude to think out 
the meaning of the past, and to prepare his pro- 
gramme for the future. The name of the place to 
which he retired, Arabia, is somewhat vague. In all 
probability it was some place not far remote on the 
borders of Arabia, where one of the Jewish colonies 
from Babylon had settled. The time spent in retire- 
ment was at least a year. Measuring from his conver- 
sion to the time of his journey to Jerusalem, it was 
three years (Gal. i. 18). In its far-reaching results no 
period in the life of Paul was more important than 
this period of enforced solitude and silence. 

From this point onward the life of Paul is bound 
up in the fortunes of the Christian Church, of which 
he became an acknowledged leader. Although for a 



no 



The Teachings of the Books 



time he was looked upon with suspicion, yet he gradu- 
ally won the confidence of the Christian brotherhood. 
And while his broader views of Christianity were often 
bitterly assailed by the Jewish party, the purity of his 
motives is unquestioned. It is safe to say that no 
other man has left such a deep and enduring mark 
upon Christian life and thought. 

The epistles of Paul, which were written not in the 
quiet of the study, but on the drum-head in the field 
of battle, were "tracts for the times," called forth by 
local necessities. In all probability Paul himself had 
not the most distant dream that his fugitive writings 
would be preserved and studied in future ages. He 
builded better than he knew; but the worth of his 
work was not unknown to Him who by His Spirit 
moved upon his heart and directed his hand. He 
was the Spirit's chosen instrument in giving to the 
world a practical philosophy of the religion of Jesus 
the Christ. 

HIS EPISTLES 
The epistles of Paul give us a spiritual interpreta- 
tion of the teaching and life of Jesus. They were in 
no sense formal documents prepared for the purpose 
of giving exact and precise expression to Christian 
thought after the manner of systematic treatises, but 
were rather the personal and friendly utterances of 
the missionary and evangelist, concerned in the special 
problems of individuals and churches. Where they 
give expression to the great principles of Christianity 
they do so in terms which met the demands of partic- 
ular audiences. Every page of these writings glows 
with personal earnestness and fervor. The style is 



The Pauline Epistles 



in 



often hurried and headlong. The writer throws him- 
self into his theme with the passion of one who 
believes that the particular crisis to which he addresses 
himself is of the first importance, and that defection 
from his teachings constitutes the danger most to be 
feared in the churches. Where he could not go in 
person he could send a written message, thus dupli- 
cating his influence and supplementing his missionary 
work. His personality being perhaps the most con- 
spicuous and impressive among the apostles, his writ- 
ings were eagerly sought for, and were soon gathered 
into collections more or less complete. That all his 
epistles have been preserved is highly improbable; 
indeed, he refers in explicit terms to certain which 
have not survived (Col. iv. 16, I. Cor. v. 9; perhaps, 
also, Phil iii. 1.) It is scarcely probable that a minis- 
try as full and laborious as his, and covering so long a 
period, should have produced only some dozen writ- 
ings of this character; but we may believe that in the 
providence of God those epistles which were of most 
importance to the welfare of the churches have sur- 
vived. 

The epistles of Paul are distributed over a period 
of more than a score of years, the earliest of them 
dating from a time well on in his missionary career. 
They may be divided into four groups, the first con- 
taining the two epistles written from Corinth (52-53 
A. D.) to the Church at Thessalonica, only two or 
three months after its planting by Paul himself. 
These two epistles, which were separated by only a 
short interval, have been called the Eschatological 
Epistles, as dealing particularly with the second 
advent — or in other words, the end of the Jewish 



112 The Teachings of the Books 



age and the victorious coming of the kingdom of 
heaven. 

The second group embraces four epistles — Gala- 
tians, I. Corinthians, II. Corinthians, and Romans — 
which deal with the controversy regarding the relation 
of Christianity to Judaism, and may be called the 
Polemical Epistles, though their tone is not that of 
the mere controversialist, but rather of one who is 
seeking to emphasize the immeasurable superiority of 
the new faith to the old. They were written during 
the third missionary journey of the apostle (54-58 A. 
D.), beginning with his residence at Ephesus, from 
which city the first of them was probably sent, and 
closing with his short stay in Corinth, where it is 
believed the Epistle to the Romans was written. 

The third group comprises the Epistles to the 
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians, 
written during the first imprisonment of Paul at Rome, 
from 62 to 64 A. D. These center about the charac- 
ter and work of Jesus, and are Christological, ethical, 
and personal. 

The fourth group which includes I. Timothy, Titus, 
and II. Timothy, have generally been called the "Pas- 
toral Epistles." They deal with church organization 
and government, and contain practical hints for the 
selection and guidance of evangelists, pastors, or 
bishops, and other Christian leaders. They appear to 
date from the closing years of the apostle's life, the 
first two from the period following his first Roman 
imprisonment, and the last from the closing days of 
his second imprisonment, just preceding his martyr- 
dom. 

In all of these epistles a uniform plan of arrange- 



The Pauline Epistles 



ment seems to be followed, though probably uncon- 
sciously, on the part of the writer. The framework 
into which they fall is substantially as follows: 

1. A salutation, giving the superscription, in which 
are included the names of those who happened to be 
with Paul at the time as co-workers. 

2. Thanksgiving for any qualities in the readers 
which the apostle feels moved to commend. 

3. The general theme of the epistle, which is usu- 
ally some phase of Christian teaching which needed 
particular emphasis in the case of the church or indi- 
vidual addressed. 

4. A practical section, in which is given the appli- 
cation of the principles just set forth to the life of 
the church. 

5. Personal messages to friends in the church. 

6. Closing words and benediction. In some cases, 
the closing part of the epistle is written by Paul with 
his own hand, but in most cases the letter is dictated 
to an amanuensis. This order is, however, not invari- 
able, but it serves in a measure to identify the apostle's 
writings. 



THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 



This epistle was written by Paul at Corinth in A. 
D. 58, at the close of his Macedonian tour. (Com- 
pare Acts xxi. 1-4, with Rom. xv. 25-27, xvi. 21). 

The similarity of ideas in the epistles to the Romans 
and the Galatians strengthens the probability of but a 
brief interval of time between the dates of their com- 
position. The epistle to the Galatians was written 
first, and all its ideas were still fresh in the mind of 
the apostle when he wrote to Rome. No fewer than 
twenty parallels of thought and expression are noted 
by the commentators, most of which can be easily 
traced by the most casual student. Another interest- 
ing study is Paul's use of the Old Testament in both 
epistles. In the Roman letter alone there are more 
than sixty quotations from the Old Testament. 

THE CHURCH ADDRESSED 

This letter is addressed to a church which Paul 
had neither planted nor visited. Hence it is free from 
all the disturbing influences which come from the dis- 
cussion of local questions and issues. It gives a calm 
and conciliatory forthsetting of the doctrines of grace 
as they appeared from the standpoint of the writer. 

Regarding the origin of the Church of Rome noth- 
ing is positively known. The claim that it was 
founded by Peter lacks historical support. There is, 
however, every reason to believe that Peter visited 

114 



The Epistle to the Romans 115 



Rome in the latter part of his life, and that he did 
much to strengthen and develop the life of the Church. 
The tradition that he there suffered martyrdom 
appears to be well authenticated. The early history 
of the Church in Rome is shrouded in uncertainty. 
It is generally supposed to have been founded by 
Pentecostal Christians on their return from Jerusalem 
(Acts ii. 10), or possibly by Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 
xviii. 2); but these are mere conjectures. It seems 
to have been composed largely of Gentiles, with a 
goodly sprinkling of Jews and Jewish proselytes. By 
some it is thought that there were two separate con- 
gregations, a Jewish congregation within the precincts 
of the Ghetto, and a Gentile congregation hard by 
the royal palace. But of this division there is no con- 
vincing evidence. One thing is certain, the character 
of the members of this church was eminently satis- 
factory (i. 8, xv. 14). Those who in these sifting days 
espoused the cause of the Nazarene in Rome must 
have been men of heroic mold. 

MOTIVE FOR WRITING IT 

Paul's natural interest in Rome as the capital of 
the Roman empire, and as a strategic point in the 
extension of the kingdom of Christ, furnished a suffi- 
cient motive for writing this epistle. To conquer the 
world for Christ, Rome must be taken. In order, 
then, to prevent the disaster which had befallen the 
churches of Galatia, through false teachers, from 
overtaking the Church in that important center of 
influence, he desired beforehand to set before its 
members the truth of the gospel and its relations to 
the law. 



1 1 6 The Teachings of the Books 



THE SITUATION 

The picture of the Roman world at this time was 
anything but a bright one. The zenith of prosperity 
and power had been reached, and disintegrating 
forces were at work. The life, the glory, the power, 
and the vice of the Roman empire were all focalized 
in Rome. Rome was the vital heart of the empire. 
In it all lines of power centered. Between it and the 
most distant provinces intimate connection was main- 
tained. Through its military prowess it had brought 
the whole world to its feet. But with prosperity had 
come deterioration of character. The old Roman 
virtues had become well-nigh extinct. Social corrup- 
tion was bottomless. Government was despotic. 
One-half of the population were slaves. All labor was 
looked upon as servile and vulgar. Marriage was a 
voluntary compact, to be broken at will. Religion was 
an empty form, or at best a mere state utility. The 
temples were schools of vice. There was no longer 
any conservative middle class; on the one hand there 
was grinding poverty, on the other hand luxurious 
self-indulgence. Such a condition of things presaged 
ruin utter and irremediable. 

Into this moral cesspool the apostle threw his gos- 
pel message, much in the same way as the ancient 
prophet threw a branch into the bitter waters to 
sweeten them. In the Church planted in this center 
of life Paul saw potentialities of reform. In it were 
influences which might yet stay the work of decay 
and change pagan Rome into the New Jerusalem. To 
help in the accomplishment of that result this letter 
was written. 



The Epistle to the Romans 



117 



DOCTRINAL AIMS OF THE EPISTLE 

The doctrinal aims of the epistle were to set forth 
the nature of the gospel in its relation to the law; the 
common heritage possessed by Jew and Gentile in the 
blessings of the gospel; and the obligations to Chris- 
tian living springing from the fullness and freeness of 
God's grace to men. This epistle, which was the 
fountainhead of the reformation theology, was called 
by Luther "the chief book of the New Testament and 
the purest gospel. " 

The argument of this epistle is: (a) That all men, 
Jew and Gentile alike, are sinners, and stand in need 
of pardon, (b) That the only advantage possessed by 
the Jew over the Gentile was in the choice which God 
made of him as the custodian of His revelation to 
man. (c) That man as a sinner is unable of himself 
to attain salvation, (d) That the law is powerless to 
save, (e) That the salvation revealed in Christ is 
appropriated by faith, and not by works of law. (f) 
That by faith the sinner is justified, being brought 
into new relation to God and into possession of a new 
life, (g) That the believer being married to Christ is 
dead to the law. (h) That the people of Israel are 
not cast off forever — their temporary rejection being 
the opportunity of the Gentiles, their final acceptance 
the culmination of God's redemptive plan, (i) That 
no ground exists for boasting, (j) That all men are 
under the same obligation to accept Christ and bring 
forth the practical fruits of righteousness. 



1 1 8 The Teachings of the Books 



UNITY OF THE EPISTLE 

There seems to be evidence that the epistle existed 
under a variety of forms. It was sometimes used as 
a general treatise on theology with its epistolary fea- 
tures stripped off. Renan found evidence of four dif- 
ferent endings, and gathered therefrom the conclusion 
that the body of the epistle was sent to four 
churches — namely, Rome, Ephesus, Thessalonica, and 
an unknown church — each letter bearing one of the 
terminations now thrown together in Chapters XV. 
and XVI. Dr. Lightfoot held, on the contrary, that 
the letter was written to Rome in nearly its present 
form, and was at a later time shortened by the apostle 
for the purpose of more general distribution among 
the churches, closing in this form with the benedic- 
tion.* 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

This is an "epistolary treatise" (Moulton), and not 
an inspired system of theology. It was written in the 
first lull of an active and tempestuous life to set forth 
to the Christians in Rome the cardinal principles of 
the Christian faith. Full of human interest, instinct 
with the life of the writer, and saturated with the 

*The relation of chapter xvi. to the rest of the epistle has been the 
theme of much discussion, i. One view is that xvi. 1-16, if not the whole 
chapter, was a separate ending, added to a copy of the letter which was sent 
to the Church in Ephesus, the original Roman letter closing with the bene- 
diction at xv. 33. In favor of this view is urged (1) The improbability of 
Priscilla and Aquila being in Rome, from which place they had come to 
Ephesus via Corinth (Acts xviii. 2, iS, 19), and especially since later on they are 
still in Ephesus (II. Tim. iv. 19), and (2) The difficulty of supposing that Paul 
knew thirty or more members of the Roman Church which he had never visited, 
while if these persons lived in Ephesus where he had labored long, the mat- 
ter becomes simple. The unity of the letter is defended by many who urge 
that Priscilla and Aquila, called by their business to various cities, might 
easily have been at Rome at the date of the epistle, and that the other per- 
sons saluted might have gone from the various places in which Paul had 
met them, to Rome, the center to which all things good and bad made their 
way. 



The Epistle to the Romans 119 

thought of the times, it deals profoundly and person- 
ally with vital questions which are for all times. 
While giving expression and shape to ideas which were 
struggling to the birth in the early Church, it also 
explains many doctrines from the writer's own per- 
sonal point of view. Paul is not afraid to use the 
phrase "according to my gospel" (i. 16). He declared 
the gospel as it was revealed to him. Upon every 
part of his divine message his personal mark is visible. 

The aim of the apostle is less to supply a corrective 
of the false teachers who sought to subvert the doc- 
trine of salvation by grace than to give a prophetic 
forecast of the age-long conflict just opening between 
spiritual and legalistic Christianity, and to answer in 
advance some of the questions involved, thus antici- 
pating many of the problems of a later day. Analyz- 
ing the contents of this weighty epistle, we find: (1) 
The thesis stated (i. 16, 17). (2) The universality of 
sin affirmed (i. 18, iii. 20). The sinfulness of the Gen- 
tiles is declared ; then of the Jews. The conclusion 
reached is, "There is none righteous, no, not one" 
(iii. 10). All men are thus shut up to salvation 
through Christ. (3) The universality of grace. The 
Jews had advantage over the Gentiles in one respect — 
namely, in having been chosen as the depositaries of 
the oracles of God (iii. 2), but within the sphere of 
gospel privilege Jew and Gentile are alike. The gos- 
pel of the grace of God is for all mankind. (4) Salva- 
tion is by faith ; and it is by faith that it might be by 
grace (iv. 16). The justification or adjustment of 
man by faith is the fundamental doctrine of the book. 
This doctrine is illustrated in the case of Abraham 
(iv. 1-5). (5) The ruin wrought by Adam, the first 



120 



The Teachings of the Books 



head of the race, is repaired by Christ, the sec- 
ond Adam (v. 15-21). (6) The objection that free 
grace tends to laxity of morals is answered (vii. 1, 6). 
(7) The objection that it weakens the power of law is 
refuted (iii. 31, v. 15). (8) Justification involves spir- 
itual incorporation. A justified soul is "in Christ" 
(viii. 1). He is united to Him, he lives in Him. (9) 
Marks of a justified man are pointed out (viii. 5-17). 
(10) Universality of grace does not contravene the 
promises of God to His ancient people (ix.-xi.). The 
door of mercy, open to the Gentiles, is also open to the 
Jews. (11) Spiritual sonship is not determined by 
natural descent (ix. 6-9). (12) The rejection of Israel 
is temporary (xi. 1). It will last only as long as unbe- 
lief and disobedience last (xi. 23). (13) The sover- 
eignty of God is asserted in connection with the 
bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles (ix.-xi.). The 
calling of the Gentiles was in accordance with God's 
eternal purpose. It was no after-thought. The pre- 
destined plan of God included the possibility of salva- 
tion to all, and the certainty of salvation to all who 
believe in Christ. (14) Practical application of the 
doctrine of salvation by grace (xii.-xv.). Salvation is 
shown to consist of renewed character (xvi). 

KEY- WORDS 

The leading points in this masterly defense of 
evangelical Christianity may perhaps be best brought 
out by a study of the apostle's key-words. Of these 
the most important are: 

1. Power. The word he uses is dunamis, from 
which comes our word dynamite. What an attrac- 
tive word this must have been to the Romans, with 



The Epistle to the Romans iai 



whom power was the supreme excellence, their word 
virtus, from which comes our word "virtue," meaning 
power or prowess. The reason for his readiness to 
preach the gospel in Rome, Paul gives in the words, 
k 'I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power 
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to 
the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (i. 16). (i) The 
gospel is power. As a spiritual dynamic it is in strik- 
ing contrast with the law, which is a thing of weak- 
ness (viii. 2-4). (2) It is divine power. "The power 
of God," the moral omnipotence of God lies within it. 
(3) It is saving power, "the power of God unto salva- 
tion." It has power to deliver man from the domin- 
ion of sin. (4) It is universal in its sweep, extending 
its saving operations not to an elect race only, but 
"to every one that believeth." (5) It is adapted to all 
classes and conditions of men, "to the Jew first, and 
also to the Greek." Here was a weapon mightier 
than the sword of Caesar. With this weapon the 
world is to be conquered for King Immanuel. 

2. Sin. Paul has deep views of sin. The word 
which he generally uses denotes "error," or "a miss- 
ing of the mark." A sinner is one who "misses the 
true end of life. (1) Sin is not a malign power reign- 
ing over man, but an enemy dwelling in man (vii. 17). 
This enemy he has with his own hand admitted within 
the castle gate. (2) Sin is a man's free act. It is his 
spiritual child, conceived by him in the womb of his 
own mind. It is a spiritual creation for which he is 
solely responsible (ii. 6). (3) The sin-principle works 
through man's fleshly nature. In his flesh dwelletu 
no good thing (vii. 18). Through it come the mo- 
tions of sin. The flesh and the spirit are antagonistic. 



122 



The Teachings of the Books 



Holiness is the conquering of the flesh by the spirit 
(viii. 13). (4) The knowledge of sin comes by the law 
(iii. 20). (5) Abounding sin is overtopped by super- 
abounding grace (v. 20). (6) Whereas the unbeliever 
is dead in sin, the Christian is dead to sin (vi. 2). 
Being dead to sin, he is freed from^ its curse and 
power (vii. 23). 

3. Righteousness. That which renders the gospel 
the power of God unto salvation is that "therein 
is revealed God's righteousness" (i. 17). God's 
righteousness is at once the righteousness which 
inheres in His moral character, the righteousness 
which He requires of a man as a moral being, and the 
righteousness which He bestows upon unrighteous 
men. It is not something fictitious; it is not some- 
thing which takes the place of personal righteousness 
as a title to everlasting life; it is not a robe which 
covers up moral deformity and defilement, making the 
sinner appear to be what he is not, but a divinely origi- 
nated righteousness which he has made his own (iii. 22). 

It was the plaint of the apostle that his kinsmen 
according to the flesh did not bring themselves into 
possession of the righteousness which God has pro- 
vided for sinful men; "For being ignorant of God's 
righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they 
did not subject themselves to God's righteousness 
(x. 3); that is, they did not seek "the kingdom of 
God and His righteousness" ; they did not yield them- 
selves to the only power that could make them right- 
eous. 

Law cannot produce righteousness. It cannot 
change the nature of man. It cannot give enabling 
power. But Christ, through whom God's righteous- 



The Epistle to the Romans 



123 



ness is mediated, is "the end of the law unto right- 
eousness to every one that believeth" (x. 4). He 
imparts to all who unite themselves to Him a power 
capable of producing righteousness. He is "the Lord 
our righteousness," the sole and efficient cause of 
holy character. 

4. Justification. The primary meaning of the term 
justification is undoubtedly the act of Tightening or 
making right with respect to the law. That it is gen- 
erally used in a legal or forensic sense there cannot 
be a shadow of a doubt. Justification is not, in the 
first instance, a change of character, but a change of 
relation. It consists in putting a man right in respect 
to sin. But it consists, also, in the complete adjust- 
ment of man in all his relations Godward, manward, 
heavenward, and earthward. When a sinner is justi- 
fied he is adjusted, Tightened, or put right in the 
whole circle of his relationships. He is put right in 
his relation to God, and to God's law, pardon restor- 
ing the harmony between him and God which sin had 
disturbed; he is put right in relation to himself, his 
conscience being fully satisfied with the way in which 
pardon has come; he is put right in relation to his fel- 
lowmen, selfishness being replaced by love; he is put 
right in relation to his surroundings, his wishes being 
brought into harmony with God's appointments. In 
all his inner and outer relations he is completely 
adjusted. The change wrought is not objective, but 
subjective. It is the man himself who is Tightened or 
adjusted. This is Paul's thought. The mold in 
which it is cast may be forensic, but the essential 
thing is not the form of the figure, but the ethical 
core which lies at the heart of it; and that ethical 



124 The Teachings of the Books 



core is the spiritual adjustment of man.* Justification 
is no legal fiction. It is not the making out of a man 
to be righteous in the sense of making him out to be 
what he is not, still less the making of him to be right- 
eous on the ground of the righteousness of another. 
When a man is justified he is put right with regard to 
the law which he has broken; he is put right also with 
respect to the law which he strives to obey. He is 
inwardly rectified. He is declared righteous because 
he is righteous. He is incipiently, germinally right- 
eous. The fountain of a new life has been opened 
within him. 

In Paul's scheme of thought, pardon or deliverance 
from condemnation is ascribed to the sufferings and 
death of Christ (iii. 25), while justification, or the 
inward adjustment of the soul, is ascribed to the 
impartation of the righteousness of Christ (iii. 22). 
Compare, also, Gal. iii. 13 with Rom. x. 3, and Eph. 
i. 7 with II. Cor. 5, 21. 

5. Faith. "Faith" is with Paul a comprehensive 
word. (1) It is a faculty of the soul. "God hath 
dealt to each man a measure of faith" (xii. 3). He 
has endowed every man with a measure of the faith- 
faculty, which he can develop by use, or extirpate by 
disuse. (2) It is a law of life. Paul speaks of "the 
law of faith" (iii. 27) as something which is binding on 
all men. Obedience to this law is the only way in 
which man can be saved. (3) It is a moral act or 
state. In this sense it is equivalent to faithfulness. 
See iii. 2, where "the faith of God" is spoken of. By 

*An interesting use of the word "justify" is found in connection with 
type-setting. A compositor is said to "justify" a line or column of type 
when he spaces it properly or fills it out exactly so as to adjust it or make it 
even. In this use of the word there is a suggestion of its true ethical import 
— a justified person being one who has been brought into proper alignment. 



The Epistle to the Romans 125 



the faith of God is meant His faithfulness. Faith and 
faithfulness are always conjoined. A man who has 
faith will be faithful in the discharge of duty. (4) It 
is the condition of justification, "the portal into the 
kingdom of God." We are "adjusted by faith" 
(v. 1) — that is, by faith as opposed to works of law; by 
faith that has Christ for its object. The saving ele- 
ment in justifying faith is objective, not subjective. 
"The just by faith shall live" (i. 7) — that is, those 
who are made just or righteous by faith shall live. 
Righteousness is always traced to faith, and never to 
works of law. God is the "justifier, " the "enright- 
eouser" (Morison) "of him who is of the faith of Jesus" 
(iii. 26) — that is, of him who has faith of which Jesus 
is the object.* (5) It is a power unto righteousness. 
It is no mere hand grasping a benefit, but a vital 
energy, an operative power, which working by love 
leads to righteousness. Paul's doctrine is that from 
inward faith and not from outward works righteous- 
ness proceeds. Faith is the root of righteousness. 
"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" 
(x. 10). Luther, while contending for the doctrine of 
justification by faith alone, did not overlook the ethi- 
cal value of faith, for he maintains that the righteous- 
ness revealed in the gospel is at once "wrought in us 
by God and apprehended by the faith which holdeth it 
enclosed, as the ring the precious stone. ' ' Faith is said 
to be "imputed, " or "reckoned" for righteousness (iv. 
6). God, who sees what faith will ultimately produce, 

*A strong argument might be made for the subjective view of the ex- 
pression "the faith of Jesus." That Jesus lived in the exercise of faith, and 
that He furnishes an inspiring example of a life rooted in faith, is a truth 
which has been too greatly overlooked; but in the New Testament teaching 
"the faith of Jesus" is without doubt the faith which He awakens and creates, 
the faith which terminates in Him as its living and life-giving object, 



126 



The Teachings of the Books 



counts it for righteousness. He counts the implanted 
seed for the waving harvest. And He does this 
because righteousness is potentially in faith as the 
harvest is potentially in the seed. Faith is seminal 
righteousness; it is initial sanctification ; it is the root 
principle of a godly life. In the last analysis faith 
and righteousness are one. 

6. Atonement. The word atonement occurs only 
once in the Authorized Version of the New Testa- 
ment — viz., in Rom. v. n, where it is the equivalent 
of "reconciliation," and in the Revised Version it is 
so translated, (i) The reconciliation referred to is 
not the reconciliation of God to man, but of man to 
God. Christ did not appease the wrath of an angry 
God; He reconciled rebellious man to His loving 
Father. It is man who ''''receives the at-one-ment. " 
(See, also, II. Cor. v. 18, 19.) (2) Men are "recon- 
ciled to God through the death of His Son" (v. 10). 
The cross, as the revelation of suffering, atoning love 
slays human enmity, awakens true repentance, and 
brings man into loving submission to God. (3) The 
reconciliation of man to God is looked at as some- 
thing more than an individual thing. It embraces 
the entire race. Jesus is the second Adam, the Lord 
from heaven, with whom those who were aliens have 
a common sonship and a common inheritance. All 
who are united to Him come into a common partici- 
pation of benefits which He has secured for them as 
their representative and head (v. 12-19). 

7. Adoption. "To whom pertaineth the adoption" 
(ix. 4). With Paul adoption is a legal process, but it 
is a legal process which is accompanied by a moral 
change. Those whom God places among His chil- 



The Epistle to the Romans 127 



dren "receive the spirit of adoption" (viii. 15). 
They live in filial relation with God; they have 
ascended from the natural to the spiritual plane of 
sonship. The natural sonship, which is set forth in 
the parable of the prodigal son as the basis of spirit- 
ual sonship, is ignored by Paul. Very slowly did the 
doctrine of the universal Fatherhood of God, which is 
so prominent in the teaching of Jesus, gain a domi- 
nant place in the Church. Spiritual fatherhood 
obscured natural fatherhood, when it ought to have 
explained it. Spiritual sonship was made to exclude 
natural sonship, when it ought to have included it. 
The natural is the door to the spiritual. A natural 
son may become a spiritual son, and thus become an 
adopted son. 

8. Redemption. "The redemption which is in 
Christ Jesus" (iii. 24) does not mean simple deliver- 
ance, but deliverance on the ground of a ransom. 
Christ is represented as giving Himself "a ransom for 
all," and the result of His sacrifice is the redemption 
of mankind. There is, however, a wider use of the 
term redemption. The root verb of the Greek word 
for redemption means "to loose," or "to release," 
without any reference to a ransom; and the corre- 
sponding term in Hebrew signifies deliverance by cut- 
ting or dividing. In several instances in the New 
Testament the idea of ransom is dropped from the 
word redemption, as for example, in viii. 23, where 
the reference is to "the redemption of the body"; 
but in its common use the word has unquestionably 
the meaning of deliverance by a purchase price which 
meets all legitimate and recognized claims. But here 
We stop, fearing lest we petrify one of the flowers of 



128 



The Teachings of the Books 



poetry into a lifeless dogma. The question, To whom 
was the ransom paid? is an idle one. To the devil, is 
the answer which some theologians have ventured to 
give. To God, say others. Locke felt moved to ask, 
"Would it not be incongruous to pay the ransom to 
the party who receives the parties redeemed?" These 
difficulties arise from taking the word literally. The 
figure contained in the word must not be over- 
stretched. All human analogies give at best a faint 
suggestion of divine realities. The truth at the heart 
of this word is that the soul of man is loosed or 
released from sin by means of the sacrifice of 
Christ. 

9. Propitiation. "Whom God hath set forth a 
propitiation, through faith in His blood" (iii. 25). 
The marginal reading of the Revised Version has 
"propitiatory" for "propitiation," which is probably 
the correct rendering. There is evidently wrapped 
up in the word a reference to the mercy-seat, the 
golden covering of the ark of the covenant. Luther 
translates the word "the throne of grace"; Tyndale, 
"a seat of mercy. " 

The doctrinal import of the word seems to be that 
in the sacrifice of Christ we have the explanation of 
God's forbearance with the sinful. Christ was set 
forth by His atoning sacrifice as a propitiatory cov- 
ering, protecting the law as the lid of the ark pro- 
tected the two tables of stone on which the law was 
written. His sacrifice was not a propitiation offered 
unto God, but was the supreme act of divine self- 
propitiation. It came from the depths of the divine 
nature, and was the natural outgoing of essential love 
and righteousness. It is not to be looked upon as 



The Epistle to the Romans 129 



the procuring cause of love, but as its outward 
manifestation. It is not to be looked upon as a 
means of softening the heart of the judge, but as the 
means of laying bare the heart of the Father. It is 
not to be looked upon as a satisfaction to divine jus- 
tice, but as a satisfaction of divine justice. God 
would not have been just to Himself, He would not 
have 'been just to His sinful children, if He had not 
sacrificed Himself for their redemption. In the death 
of Christ we have not only an expression of God's 
love, we have also an expression of His righteousness. 
He was set forth "to proclaim God's righteousness, be- 
cause of the passing over of the sins done aforetime." 
The cross reveals God as "a just God, and a Saviour. " 

10. Election. "The purpose of God according to 
election" (ix. 11). Election is twofold — viz., election 
to salvation, and election to service. Election to sal- 
vation rests upon divine prevision with regard to faith ; 
election to service rests upon divine prevision with 
regard to fitness. God elects to salvation those who 
fall in with His purpose in their lives; He elects to 
special office and work the individuals and nations that 
best suit His purpose. He put aside Esau and selected 
Jacob, because Jacob answered His purpose better 
(ix. 11). From among the apostles He chose Paul as 
"a vessel of election" to carry the gospel to the Gen- 
tiles, because he was the best instrument upon whom 
He could lay His hands. Election is thus con- 
ditional. It is by faith that it might be by choice. 
Those who are chosen to salvation are chosen in 
Christ; those who are chosen to service are chosen 
because they have qualified themselves, or are ready 
to qualify themselves for the work. The purpose of 



130 The Teachings of the Books 



election is eternal; the act of election relates to time, 
it takes place when the condition is supplied. 

11. Predestination. "Predestined to be conformed 
to the image of His Son" (viii. 29). Predestination is 
a law of nature. In all things there is evidence of a 
prearranged plan. As an intelligent being, God has 
a plan according to which He works. (1) The end of 
the divine purpose in every life is a redeemed man- 
hood. The expression "Foreordained to be con- 
formed to the image of His Son" means that moral 
goodness is the end of the divine purpose m every 
life. (2) All the activities of God converge to the 
accomplishment of His plan in human life. The 
end of the educational and disciplinary processes 
of life is to make men Christ-like. Character, not 
happiness is the end of life. The sufferings of the 
present are meant to contribute to moral well- 
being (viii. 28, 29). (3) The cooperation of man 
with God is necessary to the working out of His 
predestined plan in his life. The divine plan he 
must work out freely and intelligently, "giving all 
diligence to make his calling and election sure." 

PRACTICAL SUMMARY 

(1) The word "therefore" in Chapter xii. 1, forms 
the nexus between the doctrinal and practical parts of 
this epistle. "It gathers up the whole of the doctrinal 
part, and includes the whole of the practical part." 
It has eleven chapters lying behind it, and four lying 
before it, and it sums them all up. (a) The relation 
of this word to its contextual setting shows the vital 
connection that exists between doctrine and life. 
Doctrine is that which gives enforcement to duty; it 



The Epistle to the Romans 131 



is that which furnishes motive for service. Creed and 
conduct are inseparably connected, (b) This word 
contains the reason for Christian living. Because! — 
therefore! Every therefore is preceded by a because. 
Because of what has gone before something ought to 
follow. There is a backward glance over the whole 
of Paul's statement regarding the fullness and free- 
ness of God's grace. Privilege implies obligation, 
(c) This word is an appeal, "I beseech you, there- 
fore." Religion is the response of the human to the 
divine, of human love to divine love, of human sacri- 
fice to divine sacrifice. It is by the manifestation of 
God's mercy that man is moved to grateful service. 

(2) Exhortation to specific duties, (a) To separa- 
tion from the world, to humility, to the right use of 
gifts, to brotherly love, to love for enemies (xii.). 
(b) To subjection to civil authority, to love of neigh- 
bor, to watchfulness (xiii.). (c) To Christian for- 
bearance and liberality (xiv.). (d) To the edifying of 
others, and to patience in Christian work (xv.). 
(e) Salutations and final blessings (xvi). 



THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO 
THE CORINTHIANS 



After a period of almost unparalleled prosperity, in 
which Corinth won for herself the name of "the star 
of Hellas," she was totally destroyed by Mummius, in 
146 B.C., and her inhabitants sold into slavery. The 
beauty and commercial value of her site attracted the 
notice of Julius Caesar, who rebuilt the city, settling 
it with a colony of Greek and Roman freemen, and 
making it the seat of government in the province of 
Achaia. It was not long before a large measure of 
its former glory returned. It again became the mari- 
time and trading center of Greece. It was an 
emporium for the world's commerce. Into it poured 
a heterogeneous population from all quarters of the 
globe. Wealth and luxury brought laxity of morals. 
The debasing worship of Aphrodite added to the gen- 
eral corruption, so that with its large commerce, its 
progress in the arts, especially its splendid architec- 
ture, its temples and shrines, it presented an exhibi- 
tion of gilded iniquity. 

Into this social maelstrom Paul came unheralded 
and unnoted, seeking to bring its lawless, turbulent 
life under the sway of the Prince of Peace. The work 
before him was one which might well have dismayed 
the sturdiest heart; but while weak in himself, he had 
supreme faith in the regenerating power of the gospel 

132 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 133 



of Christ, which it was given him to proclaim. He 
went quietly to work, delivering his message as oppor- 
tunity presented, and laboring with his hands for his 
own support (iv. 11, 12); being assisted in part by con- 
tributions from the Church at Philippi (Phil. iv. 15, 
II. Cor. xv. 9). As was his wont, he made his way to 
the Jewish synagogue, and there preached Jesus 
Christ and Him crucified. Crispus, the ruler of the 
synagogue, believed, and all his house, and were bap- 
tized (I. Cor. i. 2). The Jews were incensed. An 
open rupture took place. Paul was arrested and 
brought before Gallio, the brother of Seneca and uncle 
of Lucan, an amiable and fair-minded man, but one 
who had no interest whatever in what he regarded as 
a Jewish religious quarrel. He "cared for none of 
these things." "No man is as sweet to any one as 
Gallio is to all," exclaims his brother Seneca. What 
might have happened if he had understood the merits 
of the case! In his impatience he drove the fanatical 
Jews from his presence. The mob, delighted at the 
discomfiture of the Jews, were encouraged to resort 
to lynch law. They seized Sosthenes and beat him, 
under the very eyes of the proconsul. 

Paul thereafter left the synagogue and went to a 
house near by owned by Justus, and there preached to 
the Gentiles. Many of them believed his word, and 
were baptized, among them Erastus, the city chamber- 
lain. But most of the converts were from "the poor 
of this world. " 

Paul was much heartened in his work in Corinth by 
the presence and cooperation of Aquila and Priscilla, 
who had been expelled from Rome by Claudius. And 
when he left Corinth, he appointed as his successor 



134 The Teachings of the Books 



Apollos, an eloquent man, who had known only John's 
baptism, until instructed by this Christian couple more 
fully in the way of life, so that he became an efficient 
pastor of that struggling church. Referring to his 
work of confirmation, Paul says, "I planted, Apollos 
watered" (I. Cor. iii. 6). Apollos returned to Ephe- 
sus, where he met Paul, and told him of the condition 
of the Church. Things were in a bad way. The 
Church was like a ship among the breakers. A skillful 
hand was needed at the helm to steer it into the open 
sea. A letter, which unfortunately has been lost, 
was sent by Paul to the Corinthian Church (I. Cor. v. 
9). In this letter they were admonished to separate 
themselves from their old heathen life as the only 
means of moral sanitation. Their reply was sent 
by Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (I. Cor. 
vii. 1, xvi. 17), who told him in greater detail the 
whole sad story of the Church's backsliding. The 
tone of their letter was itself a revelation of the 
state of things. They maintained that it was im- 
possible for them to avoid intercourse with the 
ungodly or to live out the Christian ideal. They 
had many questions to ask touching things moral, 
questions which showed that they were trying to 
see how close they could walk to the brink of the 
precipice without toppling over. They made no 
attempt to shun the very appearance of evil. They 
dallied with temptation. Paul was shocked to hear 
of the corruptions and disorders which had crept in 
among them, and he was still more shocked to find 
that these things were tolerated and defended. To 
answer their questions and to remedy the evils which 
had arisen the first epistle was written. 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 135 



SECOND EPISTLE 

The second epistle, which may be styled Paul's 
Apologia Pro Vita Sua, was written soon after the first. 
It is intensely personal, and shows the agitation of a 
great soul tossed upon the waves of contending emo- 
tions. For those who by undermining his influence 
were breaking down the faith and morals of his con- 
verts, he has stinging words of reproof; for the signs 
of repentance and amendment which had been reported 
by Titus, who had been sent to make personal inves- 
tigation into the state of affairs, he has words of satis- 
faction and praise. The growth of the Jewish faction 
alarmed him. Their denial of his apostolic authority 
he resented, not on his own account alone, but because 
it discounted all his teachings. The malignant slan- 
ders which they circulated against him he indignantly 
repudiated. An enumeration of the sufferings he had 
endured for Christ is wrung from him in self-defense. 
His rebukes, withering as they are, are given in a 
hesitant and regretful manner. Tearful tenderness 
is mingled with severity, and a gracious purpose suf- 
fuses the whole. 

From the picture which these letters present, of a 
fickle, factious, wayward Church, we can understand 
something of the care of the churches which rested 
so heavily upon the heart of Paul. We can under- 
stand, also, something of the condition of society, and 
of church life in that early day. The "local coloring" 
is put on with a realistic touch. The portraiture of 
Corinthian society has great historical value. The 
portraiture of the Church set in the midst of the lux- 
ury and licentiousness of "the Vanity Fair of the 



136 The Teachings of the Books 



Roman Empire" suggests many important lessons. 
And above all, there are practical suggestions for the 
leaders of the Church in all time; for as Steir so well 
says, we have in these epistles "a pathology, a 
materia medica for all that are designed to be physi- 
cians in a larger or lesser circle." Paul's heartaches 
are the churches' health. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 
FIRST EPISTLE 

Nothing could be clearer than the purpose of this 
epistle. It was written to correct abuses and to 
straighten out difficulties which had arisen in the 
Church in Corinth. Its sagacious pastoral counsels 
throw light upon many of the practical problems with 
which the Church of to-day is confronted. 

1. The spirit of faction rebuked. In the Corinthian 
Church there were four distinct parties — the Paul 
party, the Apollos party, the Peter party, and the 
Christ party (i. 12).* The Christ party, which con- 
sisted of Jews who had seen the Lord, was the nar- 
rowest and bitterest of all. It was a rankling thorn 
in the apostle's side, and was frequently denounced 
by him for its arrogant claims. (See II. Cor. xi. 5, 13.) 

Paul sought to shame the Corinthian converts out 
of their sectarian spirit, and out of their use of party 
names, by reminding them of their oneness in Christ. 
And although it was far from him to cast a slight 
upon the divine ordinance of baptism, yet in view of 
their unseemly division and strife, he was thankful 

* There is no evidence that the four factions in the Corinthian Church 
were fully organized parties, but they were sufficiently distinct to form 
elements of division and discord. 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 137 



that as the founder of the Church he had baptized 
but few of them, lest they should say that he had bap- 
tized into his own name (i. 1 5). 

2. The method of apostolic preaching defended. In 
Corinth, the focus of Greek culture, flourished the 
sophists, literary peacocks, who made an ostentatious 
display of their learning and eloquence. When Paul 
was compared with these oratorical experts fault was 
found with the simplicity of his preaching. His 
defense was that he made no pretension to "excel- 
lency of speech or of wisdom" (ii. 1). The power of 
his message lay not in his manner of telling it, but in 
the nature of the facts which it contained. Preached 
with simplicity "the word of the cross is to them that 
are perishing, foolishness; but unto us who are being 
saved it is the power of God" (i. 18). (1) The true 
preacher is the agent of a higher power. He is 
divinely chosen (i. 26). Hence he is not to magnify 
himself to the obscuring of Him whom he represents 
(i. 31). (2) He is a builder whose work is to be tested 
by fire (iii. 13). (3) He is an agriculturist, expending 
his effort upon God's "tilled land" (iii. 9). He labors 
on God's building that it may grow up into a holy 
temple for God's indwelling. He labors on God's 
tilled land that it may be made productive. (4) The 
seal of his divine commission is the spirit of conse- 
cration which he puts into the work (iv. 9-16). 

3. A wound probed. Planted in the center of Ori- 
ental luxury and licentiousness, the Church in 
Corinth, instead of continuing to convert the sin-sod- 
den heathenism by which it was surrounded, was in 
danger of being dragged back into the mire of sensu- 
ality from which it had been rescued. So low had it 



138 The Teachings of the Books 



become in moral tone that within its fellowship was 
retained a man guilty of incest. Against the shame- 
less conduct of this offender, who flaunted his sin 
before the public gaze, not a single word of protest 
was raised. A case so notorious required to be han- 
dled boldly and skillfully. To save the life of the 
Church the gangrened limb had to be cut off. To 
save the soul of the offender himself it was necessary 
to make him feel that henceforth he could not be 
treated as a Christian brother, but as "a heathen man 
and a publican" — an object of Christian pity and 
reforming effort. (Compare v. 13 with Matt, xviii. 17.) 
Church discipline ought to have for its object "the 
destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved 
in the day of Jesus" (v. 5). In turning the white light 
of Christian truth upon this dark deed which had 
brought reproach upon the, Church of Christ in Cor- 
inth, Paul appealed with confidence to the new 
conscience which Christianity awakens (v. 8). Nor 
did he appeal in vain. 

4. Litigation condeiiined (vi. 1-8). The Corinthians, 
with their sensitive Greek temperament, were excit- 
able and quarrelsome. It needed a very small spark 
of provocation to kindle them into a blaze of resent- 
ment. Carried away by their turbulent passions, they 
obtruded their differences before an unbelieving world, 
and even prosecuted one another before heathen 
courts. Little disagreements, which as members of 
a common spiritual household they ought to have set- 
tled among themselves, became matters of public 
scandal. For such unseemly conduct they receive 
merited, reproof, Lawsuits are not forbidden in 
every instance; but they are always condemned where 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 139 



mutual forbearance and conciliation might heal the 
breach. A litigious spirit is an unchristian spirit. 
Christians are to submit to one another in the Lord. 
They are to test each other's conduct by the law of 
Christ. The saints who are to judge the world may 
be trusted to judge one another. And if there should 
be mistakes in judgment, "Why not rather take 
wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" (vi. 8.) It 
is better to be wronged than to do wrong. And 
something must always be left over for the day of 
judgment. 

5. A spiritual diagnosis (vi. 9-20). Like a skillful 
physician Paul "struck his finger on the place, and 
said, Thou ailest here! and here!" He knew what 
was wrong, and he knew the proper remedy to pre- 
scribe. The atmosphere of Corinth was morally 
enervating, and a tonic was needed to brace up the 
spiritual nature and give it power to resist evil of 
every kind. No soft apologies were made for human 
weakness. No attempt was made to palliate immoral- 
ity by laying the blame of it on environment, although 
Corinth was in very truth "a vast Pandemonium" 
(Renan). None but the deepest motives are appealed 
to. Those who had been washed in the laver of 
regeneration are asked why they should wallow again 
in the mire of pollution (vi. 11). Those who are mem- 
bers of the body of Christ and temples of the Holy 
Spirit are asked what they have to do with anything 
unclean (vi. 15). Those who are not their own are 
asked what right they have to dispose of themselves 
as they please, unless they please to dispose of them- 
selves to the glory of their Lord and Master (vi. 20). 

6. Marriage and divorce (vii.). The Corinthian 



140 The Teachings of the Books 



Church, in its letter to Paul, had asked some hard 
questions touching these delicate subjects. Paul was 
placed in a difficult position. Besides the Jewish 
party, with their strict ideas, and the Greek party, 
with their lax ideas concerning marriage, there was in 
Corinth a party that looked upon marriage as an 
impure thing, or at least inferior to celibacy. Paul 
took the ground that marriage is not only unforbid- 
den, but that it is "a high and holy estate" conducive 
to chastity; albeit, in view of the impending distress, 
it was advisable for the followers of Christ to keep 
themselves as free as possible from the entanglements 
of domestic cares (vii.1-7). Voluntary separation on 
account of difference in religion is strictly forbidden 
(vii. 10) ; but if the believing partner should be deserted 
by the unbelieving partner, the marriage relation 
would be practically dissolved (vii. 15). In mixed 
marriages divine grace is the controlling element, the 
unbelieving husband being "sanctified in the wife," 
and the unbelieving wife "sanctified in the husband" 
(vii. 14). But seeing that the end of all things was 
near, earthly ties were to be held loosely. "The time 
is shortened that henceforth those that have wives be 
as if they had none" (vii. 29). 

7. A question in casuistry (viii.-x.). One of the 
burning questions in the Church at Corinth was, Is it 
right for a Christian to eat things sacrificed to idols? 
There were those who answered this question with a 
decided No! They affirmed that a Christian ought 
to be completely separated from his old life, that he 
ought to keep his hands clean of all complicity with 
the things which he has openly forsworn. There 
were others who reasoned that inasmuch as an idol is 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 141 



nothing, the fact that meat has been offered to it 
makes no difference whatever with the meat; hence 
it may be partaken of without a single scruple. Paul 
took middle ground. While emphasizing the neces- 
sity of separation from the world, and recognizing 
the principle of liberty in things non-essential, he 
found in altruism the true principle of social action.* 
A thing might be lawful and yet not be expedient 
(x. 23). For any one to sacrifice for the good of 
others that to which he has a lawful right is a Christly 
thing. No man liveth unto himself in everything, 
and no Christian ought to try to live unto himself in 
anything. His life ought to be one of self-denial. 
He ought not to be always asking, Have I liberty to 
do this? but, Is it best for me to do it? How will the 
doing of it affect others? He ought to take the 
highest ground, not seeking his own profit in any- 
thing, but the profit of many that they may be saved 
(x. 33). (a) Altruism as a principle of social action 
is enforced by personal example (ix. 1-14). (2) In the 
contests of life self-denial is shown to be the price of 
self-mastery, and self-mastery the condition of suc- 
cess (ix. 26). (3) The position is taken that the 
Christian, although in the world, is not of it, but is 
as completely separated from it as the Israelites were 
separated from the Egyptians when baptized unto 
Moses in passing between the watery walls of the 
divided sea (x. 2). (4) The glory of God is made the 
final end to which the smallest things in life are to be 
subordinated (x. 31). 

* In this fact will be discerned a departure from the terms of the agree- 
ment reached between Paul and the stricter Tews at the Jerusalem conference 
Acts xv. 20-29). That compact was broken almost immediately by the 
udaizers, and its observance was probably soon abandoned by Paul. 



1 42 The Teachings of the Books 



8. Rules of social decorum (xi. 1-16). Such a small 
matter as whether women should veil or unveil their 
heads in public meetings for worship created a confla- 
gration among the inflammable Corinthians. The 
settlement of the question might have been left to the 
sanctified common sense of the people themselves, 
but in the discussion which arose certain moral issues 
were involved, upon which Paul was glad to get the 
opportunity of making a pronouncement. The four 
things which he lays down as guiding principles in 
the matter of 'deportment are: (1) That the strictest 
propriety ought to be observed in the smallest details 
of outward conduct. For the Corinthian women to 
pray with heads uncovered was to run counter to the 
prevailing custom among Eastern women and to vio- 
late the prevailing ideas of modesty. They were to 
have "a sign of authority on their head because of 
the angels" (xi. 10). The meaning of this obscure 
text seems to be that they were to keep their heads 
veiled because of the spectators who might come into 
their assemblies to spy out the liberty which they 
had in Christ. They were to do nothing that would 
expose themselves, as Christians, to the scorn and 
ridicule of the world. They were, as Paul had said, 
"to give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews or 
to Greeks or to the Church of God" (x. 32). (2) 
That the veiled head is a sign of the subjection of 
women to the power of man; not, however, of a sub- 
jection that implies inferiority, but of a subjection 
which is in harmony with the equality of the sexes and 
the democracy of Christianity (xi. 12). (3) That the 
headship of humanity belongs to Christ, and that 
therefore the relation of the sexes to each other is to 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 143 



be understood in connection with their common rela- 
tion to Him (xi. 3). 

9. The Lord's Supper (xi. 17-34). The Lord's Sup- 
per, which in that early day had become a recognized 
Christian institution, was an adjunct to the Agape, or 
love feast, at which the rich and the poor partook of 
a common repast. But alas! a sacrificial meal had 
been turned into a scene of gluttony; what was meant 
to be a spiritual rite had degenerated into a social 
function; what was appointed to minister to the soul 
was employed to minister to appetite. To such a sad 
pass had things come that when the Lord's Supper 
came to be celebrated at the end of the Agape, many 
of the participants were in a state of intoxication. 
Burning with shame, Paul rebukes them for their 
unseemly conduct. Upon all who profane the holy 
ordinance of the Eucharist he pronounces a curse., 
"Whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of 
the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and 
blood of the Lord." This curse alights not upon 
those who are personally unworthy, but upon those 
who partake of the Supper without realizing its spirit- 
ual significance. "For he that eateth and drinketh, 
eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he 
discern not the body." Self-examination ought, 
therefore, to turn not upon the question of personal 
worthiness, but upon the question of discerning the 
nature of this holy ordinance, and making it the 
medium of communication with the living, present 
Christ. 

10. Spiritual gifts (xii., xiii., xiv.). The Corinthians 
were a gifted people. When they became Christians 
they coveted the new gifts of the Spirit. These 



144 The Teachings of the Books 



gifts they were tempted to use for display. Paul 
shows them that gifts are graded, and that the best 
are not the showiest, but those that are the most use- 
ful. He discriminates between gifts as follows: (i) 
A co7mnon gift, namely, the enlightenment by the 
Spirit in the knowledge of Christ. "No man can say 
that Jesus is Lord but in the Holy Spirit" (xii. 3); 
that is, no one can have a spiritual understanding of 
Jesus as Lord unless taught of the Spirit. (See Matt, 
xvi. 16, 17). This is a fundamental gift, and belongs 
to all Christians. (2) Special gifts, such as those 
enumerated in xii. 8-1 1. This list of gifts would 
require to be revised to suit present-day demands; 
for the gifts of the Spirit are always given according 
to existing conditions. Some gifts pass out of use, 
and others take their place. As new circumstances 
arise gifts are modified. Means are adapted to ends. 
Gifts exist for man. (3) Greater and lesser gifts, (a) 
Some gifts are bestowed for conspicuous work, others 
for work that is humble and obscure, (b) All gifts 
are from one source (xii. 4). (c) All gifts are de- 
signed to serve some useful end. They are "services 
of help" (xii. 28). (d) All gifts are supplemental one 
to another (xii. 12-27). The Church as the body of 
Christ is the myriad-handed agency through which 
His gifts are ministered. (4) The greatest gifts. The 
greatest gifts are those which are spiritual (xiv. 1). 
Miraculous gifts, such as those of healing or of 
tongues, may possess no spiritual value whatever; 
spiritual gifts are spiritually profitable; hence they 
are to be earnestly desired and eagerly sought after. 
(5) The greatest gift — love (xiii.). The queen of the 
graces, love is also the queen of the Spirit's gifts. It 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 145 



is the crown and glory of the Christian life. Without 
it every form of service is empty and vain. It is 
greater than all other spiritual gifts, greater than 
faith or hope (xiii. 13). It has well been called "the 
greatest thing in the world." It is the all-inclusive, 
all-enduring gift, by which every other gift is sancti- 
fied. Miraculous gifts were, from their very nature, 
temporary. Spiritual gifts alone are permanent 
(xiii. 8). (6) The value of every gift is determined by 
the measure of good which it accomplishes (xiv. 19). 
The best gift is that which renders the highest ser- 
vice to the Church and to the world.* 

11. The gospel defined (xv. 1-11). In the midst of 
the controversial storm which had arisen the funda- 
mental facts upon which Christianity is based are 
reaffirmed. A divinely inspired definition of the gos- 
pel is given. The gospel which Paul declares is the 
same as that which he preached to the Corinthians 
almost two years before. The gospel does not vary. 
It may be presented in a great variety of forms, but it 
is always the same in its subject-matter. (1) The 
gospel consists of positive facts. It is not a scheme 
or theory. It is not something of man's invention. 
It is the declaration of certain historical facts; which 
facts constitute Christianity a historical religion. (2) 
These facts, which are three in number, relate to a 
person. They are, that Christ died, was buried, and 
rose again — his incarnation being assumed. Upon 
this tri-factual gospel the apostle stood. Upon it the 
Corinthians had begun to build. By holding it fast 
they would be saved, unless their faith was a delusion 

*The words of Paul, "Let the women keep silence in the churches," 
(xiv. 34), are not an absolute prohibition. They are simply an inculcation 
of modesty of deportment in a time of outbreaking lawlessness. 



I46 The Teachings of the Books 



and a snare. (3) The value of these facts lies in their 
spiritual significance. The good news concerning 
Christ is that "He died for our sins." This is an 
uncommon expression. Generally it is said that 
Jesus died "for us." The vicarious nature of His 
death is brought sharply out. He died on account of 
our sins, to secure deliverance from their guilt and 
power. (4) These facts took place "according to the 
Scriptures"; not according to the New Testament 
Scriptures, for these were not yet written, but accord- 
ing to the Old Testament Scriptures, of whose pro- 
phetic foreshadowings they formed the consummation. 

12. The resurrection (xv. 5-58). Some of the 
Corinthians doubted, others denied, the doctrine of 
the resurrection. Paul takes pains to show that this 
doctrine is the foundation upon which the whole 
fabric of Christianity rests. There are two little 
words upon which he hangs all his reasonings, to-wit, 
the words "if" and "now." (1) A dreadful supposition. 
"If Christ hath not been raised" — what follows? 
Let Paul answer. (a) Preaching is void (xv. 14). 
(b) Faith is void (xv. 14). (c) The apostles are con- 
victed of being false witnesses (xv. 15). (d) Believers 
are still "in their sins" (xv. 17); i. e., they are not 
delivered out of them, (e) Those who have fallen 
asleep in Christ have perished (xv. 18). (f) Christians 
are of all men most pitiable, because they persist in 
clinging to a blasted hope. The misgivings which 
that dreadful "if" awakens are instantly dispelled. 
The resurrection of Christ is set forth as a historical 
fact which rests upon solid proof. No event in his- 
tory has such a weight of evidence to support it. 
Against the cumulative proof which Paul here ad- 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 147 



duces the gates of Hades cannot prevail (xv. 5-19). 
(2) A reasonable inquiry. ''''How are the dead 
raised, and with what body do they come?" (xv. 35.) 
"Evidently, doubt as to the reality of the resurrec- 
tion was due to difficulties as to its method" (McGif- 
fert). The inquiry is not denounced. Reason and 
the analogy of nature are appealed to in the effort to 
answer it. (a) The resurrection is literally "the 
upstanding" of the dead. There is no break, no 
interruption in the continuity of their life, (b) The 
resurrection is not a condition of naked spirit. The 
dead are "not thin ghosts blown about on wandering 
winds"; they stand up in bodies that have definite 
form. The resurrection body is plainly declared to 
be "a spiritual body," but what a spiritual body is we 
have no means of knowing. (c) The resurrection 
body is evolved from within. It grows within the 
mortal body, from which it emerges at death; it 
grows out of the spiritual life as a flower grows out of 
a seed, (d) The spiritual body is adapted to the spir- 
itual state. It will not clog nor hamper the develop- 
ment of the soul as the fleshly body often does. It 
will not be like an ill-fitting garment, but will match 
the spirit perfectly, forming a perfect organ for its 
expression and action. It will not be subject to 
decay, but will retain the vigor of everlasting youth. 
In a word, it will be "made in the image of the heav- 
enly," fashioned like unto the body of Christ's glory. 
How was Christ raised up? and with what body did 
He come? In that way shall we be raised up. His 
resurrection is not only the pledge of ours, it is the 
archetype of ours. Because He rose we shall rise, 
and in the same way that He rose we shall rise. 



I48 The Teachings of the Books 



(e) This transformation is accomplished by the power 
of Christ. It is by Him that we have the victory over 
sin and death ; it is by Him that life is brought out 
of death. The risen Christ is to all His people "a 
life-giving spirit." 

13. Practical applications. (1) General. Because 
you believe in a glorious future abound in the Lord's 
work in the present (xv. 58). Between doctrine and 
practice there is an intimate connection. Those 
who believe in the reality of the life to come will 
try to live well now. (2) Special. "Now concerning 
the collection for the saints" (xvi. 1). The unfortu- 
nate break between the fifteenth and sixteenth chap- 
ters has completely destroyed the force of the apostle's 
appeal. His plea is this, "You as Christians believe 
in a glorious resurrection, you believe that you are 
heirs of all the ages; then show the influence of your 
faith upon your works when you come to take the col- 
lection for the poor saints in Jerusalem." 

The practical bearing of the future upon the pres- 
ent lies in this, that it furnishes a right motive to 
social action. Materialism takes away all incentive to 
good doing. It selfishly says "Let us eat and drink, 
for to-morrow we die." Belief in a future life tends 
to the elevation of the life that now is, by furnishing 
a motive to self-sacrifice. The man who feels most 
deeply the powers of the world to come will take the 
greatest interest in others. 

14. Benediction and malediction. To those who love 
and serve the Lord Jesus, blessing; but "if any loveth 
not the Lord, let him be anathema!" "Maranatha!" 
the Lord is coming! Let all prepare to meet Him! 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 149 



SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 
SECOND EPISTLE 

Nowhere do we get so close to the human heart of 
the great apostle as in this epistle. There is in it 
that personal element that gives to all true biography 
its abiding interest. The hidden motives of the soul 
are laid bare. 

Having dispatched his first letter to the Corinthi- 
ans by the hand of Titus, Paul had awaited the news 
of its reception with the greatest anxiety. The report 
of Titus was upon the whole satisfactory. Fruits 
meet for repentance had begun to appear, but many 
roots of bitterness yet remained. Influences were in 
operation which might nip the work of reformation in 
the bud. The Jewish party were trying to subvert 
Paul's influence by throwing aspersions upon his 
motives and making light of his claims. The very 
things he had done for conciliation were attributed to 
cowardice or fickleness. He was put upon the 
defensive, and his second epistle is, in the main, a per- 
sonal vindication of his conduct. There is no sys- 
tematic arrangement of material in this epistle. It is 
the outpouring of a soul quivering with emotion and 
stung to the quick with a sense of wrong. 

1. A lofty keynote. Although born in trouble, this 
epistle is not in a minor key. It opens with an ascrip- 
tion of praise. Whatever the outlook might be, the 
uplook was bright. God was sure. Special grounds 
for thankfulness are given. (1) For comfort in afflic- 
tion, comfort so abounding that out of it he was able 
to comfort others (i. 3-7). (2) The testimony of a 



150 The Teachings of the Books 

conscience void of offense (i. 12-22, ii. 1-4). Paul had 
promised to visit the Corinthians. Why had his prom- 
ise not been redeemed? For two reasons: He wished 
to spare them the shame and pain of open rebuke. 
He wished also to stand back and see what they would 
do of their own accord to rectify the abuses which he 
had pointed out. Satisfactory reasons, both of them! 
(3) The continued favor of God attested by continued 
usefulness. In Troas and elsewhere wide doors of 
opportunity were opened (ii. 12). (4) Triumph over 
every difficulty (ii. 14). God led him forth as a vic- 
torious soldier, causing him to triumph in the power 
of Christ, that the savor of his Master's name might 
be made manifest in every place. 

2. The Christia7i ministry exalted. (1) Its power. 
It has the keys of the kingdom. The gospel which it 
proclaims has power to ban or bless, to blight or save, 
to give life or death. It is the touchstone of charac- 
ter (ii. 15, 16). (2) Its credentials. These are souls 
that have been redeemed by its power from the power 
of sin. Such souls are living letters, letters of com- 
mendation for those by whom they have been minis- 
tered, letters written by Christ Himself by the hand 
of His amanuenses (iii. 1-6). (3) Its glorious charac- 
ter. It is a ministry, not of condemnation, but of 
righteousness; not of bondage, but of liberty; not of 
the letter which passeth away, but of the spirit which 
endureth (iii. 4-17). (4) Its transforming influence. 
This transformation is not by beholding, but by 
reflecting (ii. 18, R. V.). The reflecting is the result 
of the beholding. As a mirror catches and reflects 
the image placed before it, so do our lives reflect the 
image of Christ. We are transformed progressively 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 151 



into the likeness of Christ, not by retiring from the 
world and meditating upon His character, but by 
reflecting His image openly in the world. (5) Its 
rejection (iv. 1-6). The common reason for its rejec- 
tion is clearly indicated in the words, "If our gospel 
be veiled, it is veiled by the things that are perishing" 
(suggested reading). The things of this world hyp- 
notize the minds of men and blind them to spiritual 
things. Upon the soul immersed in material things 
the light of truth shines in vain. In spite of every 
effort to make the gospel plain, he may perish in 
darkness. 

3. Reasons for hope and courage. (1) Divine power 
triumphing over human weakness. The heavenly 
treasure is put into an earthly vessel, "that the 
exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, 
and not from ourselves" (iv. 7-15). The Christian life 
is a paradox. Its very infirmities give occasion for 
the display of divine grace. (2) The influence of 
things unseen (iv. 16-18). Paul stood by the gate 
which opens into the Beyond. The vision which he 
saw was an incentive to present duty. Earth's light 
afflictions, which are for the moment, were seen to be 
"working for him more and more exceedingly an 
eternal weight of glory." The decay of the outward 
man meant the growth of the inward man; the fading 
out of the temporal meant the coming into sight of 
the eternal. With such a vision of the future filling 
the soul, all the trials and temptations of life were as 
the small dust on the balance. (3) An enchanting 
view of death (v. 1-7). The dissolution of the bodily 
frame exposes to view a building from God, eternal in 
the heavens. The tent gives place to the mansion, 



I 5 2 



The Teachings of the Books 



the mortal body to the spiritual body. There is a 
body within a body; as the one decays the other 
grows. At death the spiritual emerges from the 
physical. The spirit does not pass out in utter 
nakedness, but clothed upon with the heavenly body. 
The mortal is swallowed up of life; it is absorbed 
into the higher life, as the seed is absorbed into the 
life of the plant. (4) Certainty of righteous recom- 
pense (v. 6-10). The judgment of Christians is a 
judgment of service. With regard to standing they 
have been judged already. The self-manifestation of 
motive before the judgment seat of Christ is to the 
end "that each one may receive the things done 
through the body, according to what he hath done, 
whether it be good or bad. " Therefore, when motive 
is maligned, the Christian can calmly await that ver- 
dict which no one may dispute and against which 
there is no appeal. 

4. Motives, means, and ends. (1) Fear as a motive. 
"Knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men" 
(v. 11). Nothing is here said about preaching "the 
terror of the Lord." The reference is to the sub- 
jective effect of a vision of coming judgment upon 
those who see it. Moved with the fear of the Lord, 
they persuade men. Whether they appear sober- 
minded or fanatical their one absorbing passion is to 
persuade men to turn from sin to God. (2) Love as a 
motive. "The love of Christ constraineth us" (v. 14). 
Nothing puts upon any one a stronger pressure than 
love, and no love has a stronger pressure than the 
love of Christ. It is the mightiest force by which the 
heart of man can be moved. The power of that love 
is felt when the sacrifice in which it is expressed is 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 153 



understood. "The love of Christ puts a strain upon 
us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, 
therefore all died" — the death of the one being in 
some valid sense the death of the all — "and He died 
for all, that they who live should no longer live unto 
themselves, but unto Him who for their sakes died 
and rose again" (v. 14, 15). (3) A new estimate of 
human value (v. 16). No man is known any longer 
after the flesh. Race and rank are lost sight of; 
moral worth is alone considered. "In the case of the 
rich man we lose sight of his riches, in that of the 
learned of his learning, in that of the slave of 
his servitude." Even Christ is known no longer after 
the flesh. The outward conditions of His life are 
forgotten, and the essential glory of His inner life is 
the absorbing object of contemplation. In the 
revelation of his sacrificial love the humanity in which 
He suffered, and the humanity for which He suffered, 
becomes invested with a new glory. (4) A new sphere 
of creative power. "If any man be in Christ, he is a 
new creation" (v. 17); that is, if any man gets into 
Christ by knowing Him as He is revealed in His sacri- 
ficial death; if he voluntarily comes within the circle 
of His influence; if he enters into the thoughts and 
feelings of His infinite heart, he is created anew. 
Chaos is changed to cosmos in his life. (5) The gos- 
pel ministry an embassage of peace. Its end is the 
reconciliation of man to God. The preacher of 
the gospel is not a prosecuting attorney of the high 
court of heaven. He is "an ambassador on behalf of 
Christ" (v. 20). He goes forth proclaiming "the 
word of reconciliation" (v. 19). The substance of his 
message is "that God was in Christ, reconciling the 



154 The Teachings of the Books 



world unto Himself, not reckoning unto them their 
trespasses" (v. 19). The barriers that stand in the 
way of reconciliation are all on man's side; therefore, 
it is to man that all suasive effort has to be directed. 
It is man who has to be persuaded to be reconciled to 
God, not God who has to be persuaded to be recon- 
ciled to man. The mission^ of Christ was not to 
appease the Sovereign's wrath, but to reveal the 
Father's love. And when those whom sin has 
estranged from God see Him as He is revealed in 
Christ, standing with outstretched hands pleading 
with them to be at one with Him, enmity is changed 
to love, and they become His friends. 

5. The fruits of reconciliation (vi. vii.). (1) Cooper- 
ation with God (v. i-n). The reconciling grace of 
God is operative and cooperative. It is received in 
vain unless it brings all the activities of the life into 
oneness with the activity of God in the work of 
human redemption. The reconciliation of the soul to 
God is not the ultimate end of religion. We are united 
to God that we may work out His will. Fellowship 
with God is fellowship in service. Encouragement to 
"work together with Him" is found in the certainty 
that He will at once accept and bless the service that 
is rendered. "Pray, for now is the time of accept- 
ance; work, for now is the day when God is working 
for salvation!" Paul was anxious that the grace of 
God might have free course among the Corinthians, 
and bring forth its proper fruit, that his ministry 
might not be blamed for their shortcomings. (2) 
Enlargement (vi. n-13). The soul that has been 
reconciled to God is to seek enlargement in all the 
elements of moral manhood. Paul himself seems to 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 155 



have come into a larger place in Christian experience; 
and so, in spite of all that the Corinthians had said 
and done to grieve him, his affection kept enlarging 
toward them, and wishing them to come into the 
same rich experience as that into which he had been 
brought, he entreats them, "Be ye also enlarged." 
Enlarged conceptions of God, an enlarged vision of 
truth, enlargement of heart, enlargement of the aims 
and purposes of life, are among the things which those 
who live in union with God ought eagerly to seek 
after. (3) Separation from the world (vi. 14-18). 
The lines of separation drawn by Christianity are 
moral, not social; they mark distinctions not of rank, 
but of character. The social leper is to be shunned, 
let him be never so wealthy or talented or renowned. 
For what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity?" 
Christians are not to be "unequally yoked with unbe- 
lievers." They are to act toward them with the 
utmost courtesy and kindness; but they are not to 
meet them on terms of intimate fellowship, or form 
close alliances with them. In giving up fascinating 
friendships of an unholy sort, they gain more than 
they lose. The Lord receives them unto Himself and 
counts them His friends. 

6. Signs of promise (vii.). From the report of 
Titus, Paul learned with joy that the Corinthians were 
endeavoring to reform. Every indication of amend- 
ment was regarded with interest. He was careful not 
to quench the feeblest aspirations after higher things. 
No longer did he regret that his former letter had 
given them pain, because he saw that their sorrow 
was having a reformatory effect, working in them "a 
repentance which bringeth no regret." They had 



156 The Teachings of the Books 



sought to clear their skirts as a church of participa- 
tion in wrong-doing by excommunicating the unworthy 
member who had brought them trouble. This work 
of purification augured well for the future. It 
showed that the Church possessed the power of recu- 
peration; and the subsequent restoration of the peni- 
tent offender showed also that the Church possessed 
something of her Lord's divine forgiveness. 

7. An object lesson (viii., ix.). The churches of 
Macedonia are held up to the Corinthians as an 
example of benevolence. They had given from a 
right motive, they had given cheerfully, they had 
given freely, and they had given liberally. Moved by 
the grace of God, they had given up to their power — 
yea, beyond their power. They had given until it 
pinched. First of all, they gave themselves, then 
they gave of their substance. In the gift of self 
every other gift was included. The Corinthians had 
many excellencies, for which Paul praised them; but 
benevolence, that consummate flower of Christianity, 
was not one of them. Anxious "that they abound in 
this grace also," after holding up for their emulation 
the example of the Macedonians, he reminds them of 
"the grace of the Lord Jesus, who although rich, for 
our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty 
might become rich." For the sake of Him through 
whose self-emptying had come their enrichment they 
were to pour unstintedly their costliest treasure into 
the laps of those who were in need. Touched with 
the generosity of Christ, they were to manifest sensi- 
tiveness to every appeal for help, and readiness to 
respond to the full measure of their ability. 



The Epistles to the Corinthians 157 



8. An abrupt change (x.-xiii.). So complete is 
the change of tone from the beginning of the tenth 
chapter to the close of the epistle that some have 
regarded these four chapters as constituting a distinct 
epistle, which in order of time precedes the second. 
There is, however, no good reason for calling in ques- 
tion the unity of the epistle. The change of tone can 
readily be accounted for on the supposition that Paul 
had just received fresh news from Corinth touching 
the pernicious influence of the Jewish party, who were 
sowing seeds of dissension and endeavoring to subvert 
his authority. What more natural than that his indig- 
nation should flame up as he is once more compelled 
to assume the defensive? The base calumnies by 
which he had been assailed he repels one by one. 
Then he turns the tables upon the false teachers them- 
selves, charging them with employing a low standard 
of moral measurement, in "measuring themselves by 
themselves and comparing themselves with them- 
selves," instead of testing themselves by the divine 
ideal furnished in the one perfect life. The jealousy 
which he had for his spiritual children was "a godly 
jealousy," which could be satisfied with nothing short 
of the best. The authority which he claimed over 
them was not official, but spiritual. His abundant 
labors gave proof of his sincerity, the special revela- 
tions which were granted to him gave proof of divine 
favor. With such credentials to show, not for a 
moment would he allow his good to be evil spoken of. 
The soundness of his teaching, the purity of his pur- 
poses, and the unselfishness of his deeds he stoutly 
asserted in the face of adverse criticism. 



The Teachings of the Books 



From the attitude of Paul toward his detractors we 
learn : 

a. That manly self-defense is a duty. There are 
times when silence is a virtue; but when the wrong 
done is not simply a matter of personal hurt, but 
something that injures wide interests, it is a duty to 
speak out in self-defense. In such a case self- 
defense is really defense of the cause itself. 

b. That an egoist is not necessarily an egotist. A 
Christian man, when compelled to speak of himself, 
may do so with becoming modesty. His boasting may 
not be so much boasting of what he has done as 
boasting of what the Lord has done for him and by 
him. There is no harm in glorying when the admoni- 
tion is obeyed, "He that glorieth, let him glory in 
the Lord." 

c. That a Christian is not a stoic. Christianity 
develops natural sensibility; it gives to every feeling 
keenness of edge. When Paul was reproached for the 
name of Christ, he did not burn with resentment; he 
did not bewail his hard fate; he triumphed over per- 
sonal feeling; he suffered and endured, as Christ did, 
and as every Christian ought to do. 

d. That steadfastness brings its sure reward. Out of 
a life torn and rent by opposing forces may come the 
most blessed results. With no one is success un- 
broken. The foundations upon which others build 
are laid in the blood of sacrifice. The seed from 
which future harvests spring are sown in tears. A 
sacrificial life is never lived in vain. 



THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 



The twin questions of the identity of the Galatian 
churches and of Paul's relation to them are still some- 
what open. It seems probable, in view of recent 
investigations,* that these churches are to be identi- 
fied with the earliest congregations organized by Paul 
and Barnabas, viz. : Antioch of Pisidea, Iconium and 
Lystra. Paul avers (Gal. iv. 12-13) that he first 
preached to them owing to an infirmity. This hints 
at a change of plan on the first missionary journey in 
company with Barnabas, necessitated by his illness, 
which caused the party to leave the coast for the 
highlands, in consequence of which the gospel was 
preached in these cities (Acts xiii. 13-53). Paul vis- 
ited these churches again on his second missionary 
journey (Acts xvi. 6), and once more on his way to 
Ephesus (Acts xviii. 23), from which city he probably 
dispatched the epistle soon after his arrival, having 
observed disquieting conditions prevalent in the 
churches, for which he felt it necessary to deal 
sharply, as the tone of the epistle witnesses. 

Galatia, a district of Asia Minor, was settled in the 
third century B.C. by Celtic invaders, and constituted 
a Roman province in 25 B.C. The population, which 
was originally Phrygian, was overpowered by the 
invading Celts, who gave their names to the district, 

*See Ramsay's works, especially St. Paul, the Traveller and the Roman- 
Citizen, and his numerous articles on the subject. 

J 59 



i6o The Teachings of the Books 



and became the predominant element in its mixed 
population, which included Greeks, Romans, and 
Jews. The character of the people was much like 
that of the Celts in Europe — genial, impulsive, hospi- 
table, ardent, fickle. They were ready to accept a 
new teaching, but were easily induced to forsake it. 

The prophet is generally followed by the priest; so 
after Paul's departure from Galatia his old enemies, 
the Judaizing teachers, came and tried to bring his 
converts under the bondage of legalism. Seeds of 
disaffection were sown. The charge was made that 
Paul was a pretender, and not a real apostle; that he 
had received all he knew of the gospel from Peter, 
James, and John at Jerusalem (Gal. i. 12); that these 
were the pillar apostles who alone were to be followed 
(Gal. ii. 6-9). It was boldly asserted by these false 
teachers that it was necessary to keep the law as well 
as to be obedient to the Christian faith (Gal. v. 18); 
that the gospel apart from the law was insufficient to 
save (Gal. iii. 23-26). The result of this teaching was 
a rapid defection of the Galatians to Judaistic legal- 
ism, the surrender of the cardinal truths which Paul 
had taught them, a weakening of confidence in his 
apostolic authority, a growing spirit of dissension in 
the churches, and a letting down from the high ideals 
of the gospel morality. 

This letter, written under the pressure of great 
anxiety and strong feeling, aims to refute the charges 
of Jewish zealots, to check the tendency to apostatize 
from the true faith, and to exhort all to continue in 
the liberty of the gospel and the duties of the Chris- 
tian life. In its literary style it is impassioned, agi- 
tated, rapid, broken, elliptical, and compressed. It is 



The Epistle to the Galatians 161 



the production of one who is put upon his mettle to 
defend the Taith against wily antagonists. The tone 
is controversial, but the motive is spiritual. Over 
the question of circumcision a larger battle is fought — 
namely, the batt?e of religious freedom. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

After Paul's departure from Galatia his old ene- 
mies, the Judaistic teachers, crept in and tried to 
bring his converts under the bondage of legalism. 
They said, "Paul is an innovator and a heretic; he 
is subverting the teaching of Moses. Will you stand 
by Moses or by Paul?" What they ought to have 
asked was, ''Will you stand by Moses or by Christ?" — 
for Paul was an interpreter of Christ. In the swift 
reply which Paul made the sledge-hammer blows 
which he rained upon the arguments of his unknown 
antagonists shattered their influence and put a check 
for the time upon Pharisaic and ritualistic tendencies 
in the infant church. 

The ground plan of this epistle is very simple. In 
Chapters I. and II. Paul defends his claim to apostolic 
authority, by showing that his message was from 
God; in Chapters III. and IV., he declares the spir- 
itual independence of the believer — especially his free- 
dom from the yoke of ceremonialism; in Chapters V. 
and VI. he exhorts Christians to hold fast the liberty 
which they have in Christ, not abusing it, but using it 
for the highest ends. 

Part I. His defense. After expressing amazement 
that the Galatians, who had received the gospel with 
so much enthusiasm, should have fallen such an easy 
prey to false teachers, and should have shifted ground 



1 62 The Teachings of the Books 



so quickly, he launches a thunderbolt against those 
who ''pervert the gospel of Christ. " Let the preacher 
of "a different gospel" be anathema! What sublime 
dogmatism ! 

Upon what did he base the conviction that he was 
right, and that consequently all who differed from him 
were wrong? (i) Upon the orginality of his author- 
ity. The gospel which he preached was not a matter 
of opinion, but of revelation. He did not think it 
out; he did not receive it from man ; it was directly 
revealed to him and in him (i. 12). With the inward 
revelation of the gospel came his commission to the 
work for which, in the divine purpose, he had been 
separated from his birth. The call was instantly 
obeyed. No human counsel was sought ; the message 
that was received he hastened to declare, for he 
was sure that it was true. (2) The other disciples had 
nothing whatever to do with the shaping of his course. 
As he had not received his commission from them, 
neither was he indebted to them for further enlighten- 
ment. The gospel which he preached was his own, 
in the sense that it was the one which God gave to 
him personally (i. 16-19, ii. 1, 2). (3) The pillars of 
the Church, Peter, James, and John, had recognized 
the value of his message, and had given indorsement 
to his work, "glorifying God in him" — that is, glori- 
fying God for what he had done in Him and by Him 
(i. 24) — and giving to him the right hand of fellowship 
(ii. 9). (4) His authority had even been unchallenged 
by a member of the apostolic brotherhood whom he 
rebuked. Peter, "the apostle of the circumcision," 
he "resisted to the face because he stood con- 
demned," on account of his inconsistency in eating 



The Epistle to the Galatians 163 



with uncircumcised Gentiles at Antioch, "until certain 
came from James, when he withdrew and separated 
himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision" 
(ii. n-14). An apostle who could rebuke an apostle 
must have felt very sure of his ground. (5) His gos- 
pel had all the authority of truth. It was in conform- 
ity with reason and experience. It did not require 
that a Gentile should live as a Jew; it did not make 
Judaism the portal to the Church; it proclaimed the 
justification of Jew and Gentile alike, not by works of 
law, but "through faith in Jesus Christ," thus provid- 
ing power for the production of the righteousness 
which it demanded (ii. 16), and demonstrating the 
necessity for the sacrifice of Christ (ii. 21). 

Part II. The doctrinal thesis — Christian liberty. 
The occasion demanded that this vital doctrine 
receive special emphasis. The Galatians had become 
bewitched by the plausible reasonings of the Judaizing 
teachers, who tried to convince them that the cere- 
monial law was of binding force, and that circumci- 
sion was necessary to Christian discipleship. To 
deliver their souls Paul seeks: (1) To awaken sacred 
memories. Had not the crucified Christ been set 
forth before their eyes, and had they not rejoiced in 
Him as all their salvation and all their desire? "Who, 
then, could have bewitched them by his gaze when 
they had only to fix their eyes upon Christ to escape 
the fascination" (Ellicott). (2) He appeals to their 
inner consciousness. Had they not received the 
Spirit "by the message of faith," rather than by 
works of law? (iii. 2.) What the false teachers called 
progress was really retrogression. (3) He sets before 
them the case of Abraham, whose faith was "reckoned 



164 The Teachings of the Books 



unto him for righteousness" (iii. 6), thus showing that 
before the law was given righteousness was attained 
by the way of faith. (4) He shows that the Abra- 
hamic covenant, which was founded upon faith, had 
not been repealed by the Mosaic law (iii. 8-20). It 
was not a man's covenant. It came from God, and 
was ratified by His promise (iii. 17). It was fulfilled 
in Christ, the promised seed (iii. 15). It was ordained 
through angels by the hand of a mediator (iii. 19). (5) 
He declares that the function of the law was to pre- 
pare the way for the gospel. The law was a "peda- 
gogue," or "tutor," or "usher," or "child-leader," to 
give preliminary teaching and hand the pupil over to 
Christ (iii. 24). The law* gave merely the alphabet 
of religion; it contained "weak and beggarly ele- 
ments" (iv. 19), which were utterly inadequate in 
themselves to secure the end sought, and were valu- 
able only as introductory to something higher. (6) 
The goal to which Paul leads up is Christ. In Him 
believers are justified (iii. 24) ; into Him they are bap- 
tized (iii. 27); in His life their lives are enveloped 
(iii. 27); in Him they are all made one (iii. 28); in Him 
they are brought from under the law into the glorious 
liberty of the children of God, "that they might 
receive the adoption of sons" (iv. 5). This is the 
climax. In Christ the spiritual emancipation of the 
race is proclaimed. Into the freedom of divine son- 
ship all men are called. Those who are Christ's are 
freed from the law's slavery, from bondage to its 
irksome enactments, from thraldom to rules and 

*The term "law" is used by Paul in a twofold sense, as denoting- the 
divinely authoritative instruction given to the Jew as a Jew; and the divinely 
authoritative instruction laid down as man to man. Here it is used in its 
restricted sense. In other words it is used to denote the ceremonial law 
rather than the moral law. 



The Epistie to the Galatians 165 



pledges and ceremonies. They are said to have been 
delivered from "the present evil age" (i. 4), the age 
then current, of whose hollow formalism the world 
had grown sick. They had been brought into a new 
age of freedom. They are free-born children (iv. 23); 
they are not under the law, but under grace; they are 
governed from within, and not from without; their 
religion is more concerned about the cleaning of the 
inside than of the outside of the platter; it is less con- 
cerned about externalities than about the possession 
of an inward spirit and principle of spiritual life. 
Their place is not in the Jerusalem below, which is 
in bondage, but in the Jerusalem above, which is 
free, and which is "our Mother" (iv. 26). 

Part III. Practical applications. (1) The necessity 
of maintaining spiritual indepejidence. "With freedom 
did Christ make us free; stand, therefore, and be not 
entangled again in a yoke of bondage" (v. 1). There 
is a tendency to relapse into spiritual bondage. The 
battle for freedom has to be often refought. 

(2) The danger of falling from grace. The much 
abused phrase "fallen away from grace" (v. 4) does not 
refer to a state of apostacy, but to a change of spiritual 
base. Those who slide back from "the liberty where- 
with Christ maketh free" into slavish legalism, fall 
from grace. By making circumcision essential to sal- 
vation, they stand under the law and fall from the 
plane of grace. If any Christian makes anything of his 
own, be it moral or ceremonial, essential to salvation, 
he transfers his trust from Christ to works, and falls 
from grace; and falling from grace, he comes under 
condemnation. 

(3) The impossibility of compromise. Paul reasons 



1 66 The Teachings of the Books 



that if he preached salvation by circumcision, instead 
of salvation by faith, then would "the stumbling block 
of the cross have been done away" (v. u). The per- 
secution to which he was subjected showed that he 
was not trying to make the gospel palatable by mixing 
it with works of merit. The doctrine of the cross 
was offensive, because it represented salvation as 
coming through the sacrifice of another. Human 
pride is always offended when self-born deeds are 
made to count for nothing, and "faith working through 
love" (v. 6) to a life of self-renunciation is made "the 
one thing needful." 

(4) The right use of liberty. Liberty is not license. 
"Ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not 
your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through 
love be servants one to another" (v. 13). Liberty is 
a great blessing, but it is not the greatest blessing. 
It is not an end, but only a mean to an end. Whether 
it prove a blessing at all depends upon the manner 
in which it is used. Liberty opens the way to 
new possibilities. When a nation is enslaved it can- 
not develop its powers; when its shackles are struck 
off it is free to grow. It is not any better for being 
free, but it has the opportunity to be better. So 
with a Christian. He is set free that he may attain 
higher ends — that he may, through love, be the ser- 
vant of his fellowmen. His liberty is not to be 
used in a selfish, sinful way, but in brotherly service. 
As a free man he can serve his fellowmen or let 
them alone; he is under no outward compulsion to 
help them; but as a Christian man who has the love of 
Christ in his heart he is under an inward impulsion to 
use his freedom for high and noble ends. 



The Epistle to the Galatians 167 



(5) Salvation by displacement. "Walk in the Spirit, 
and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (v. 16). 
Fleshly desires are displaced by cultivating the Spirit's 
presence. Two bodies cannot occupy the same place 
at the same time. The one will displace the other. 
Darkness is displaced by letting in the light, evil is 
supplanted with good, temptation is overcome by cul- 
tivating the opposing grace, relish for sinful things is 
destroyed by occupying the mind with lofty thoughts. 
By walking in the Spirit's power the bondage of the 
flesh is broken, and the lower self is brought into 
dominion to the higher self. 

(6) The law of Christ. The law of Christ is the law 
of love which He promulgated and exemplified, the 
royal law in which all duty is comprehended. This 
law is fulfilled in bearing one another's burdens (vi. 2). 
Contrasted with it is the law of obligation to self, 
expressed in the words, "Every man shall bear his 
own burden" (vi. 5). These two laws, although dif- 
ferent, are not antagonistic. Both are obligational. 
Every man must bear his own burden of personality, 
of responsibility, of weakness, and of guilt. He must 
also bear the burdens of others; their burdens of pov- 
erty, of sin, and of trouble. It is his duty to transmute 
burden-bearing into burden-sharing. The law of love 
by which he is ruled is to be in him not only a social 
energy — the heart and life of social righteousness — 
but the source of free and joyous sacrifice for others. 

(7) Sowing and reaping. The life of the flesh and 
the life of the spirit are contrasted as to their results. 
From the one we reap corruption, from the other 
eternal life (vi. 7, 8). There is given (a) a needed 
caution. "Let us not be weary in good doing. " We 



i68 



The Teachings of the Books 



are apt to become faint-hearted and discouraged from 
the difficulties of the Christian life, from the small 
progress made, and from false ideas as to the results 
to be expected, (b) A suitable encouragement; "In 
due season" — that is, at the proper time, "we shall 
reap if we faint not." For the best things we have 
to wait the longest. 

(8) Glorying in the cross. Glorying in it because of 
its moral power, and glorying in nothing else (v. 14). 
Nothing but the cross can effect that inward crucifix- 
ion by which sinful man is identified with Christ in 
the object of His death; and nothing that does not 
touch the inner life is worth glorying in, "For neither 
is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a 
new creation" (vi. 15). 

(9) A holy indifference to the "mint and anise and 
cummin" of ceremonial religion. "From henceforth let 
no man trouble me" (that is, about the mere exter- 
nalities of religion), "for I bear branded on my body 
the marks of Jesus (vi. 17). The marks of^ Jesus are 
the wounds received in the service of the Master. A 
religion that has no marks of hardship or of sacrifice 
lacks the best credential of genuineness. Suffering 
for Jesus is a better sign of the Christian spirit than 
the most painstaking performance of outward reli- 
gious acts. And because all outward acts derive their 
value from their inward motive, therefore the bene- 
diction — "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your 
spirit, brethren, Amen." If the spirit is right all is 
right. . 



THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS ! 

It is easy to perceive from even a cursory reading 
of the four epistles of the imprisonment that the great 
theme of Romans and Galatians — to-wit, justification 
by faith, no longer occupies the apostle's chief atten- 
tion. New heresies begin to appear. Gnosticism is the 
particular form of error which receives attention in the 
present group. The effect of this error was to drag 
Christ down from His preeminence. In the letter to the 
Colossians a ringing declaration of the universal lord- 
ship of the Master is made in answer to all who would 
degrade the gospel. In this letter which is supple- 
mental to Colossians, the main object is to show that 
the Church of which Christ is Lord is one; that Gen- 
tile and Jew are united in one purpose of redemption, 
that they enjoy alike the privileges and blessings of 
the new covenant, and that they are to unite together 
in working for the consummation of the kingdom 
through the Church. It is through this union of Gen- 
tile and Jew that the first step is taken in the sum- 
ming up of all things in Christ. The fullness of 
Christ cannot be reached until Gentile and Jew alike 
come into possession of the fullness of His indwelling 
life. This view harmonizes with the fact that the 
Gentiles are addressed in this letter. Every building 
is to form part of one holy temple (ii. 21) ; every family 
is to be named after the one heavenly Father (iii. 14, 

169 



170 The Teachings of the Books 



15) . One Lord, hence one Church; and one redemp- 
tion for all the world, and for all worlds. 

This letter has by some been identified with the 
lost letter referred to in I. Cor. v. 9; by others with 
that referred to in Col. iv. 10. It has also been 
identified with "the letter to Laodicea" (Col. iv. 

16) — that is, the letter sent to the Asiatic churches, 
copies of which were distributed to them from Laodi- 
cea. The difficulty in the case lies in the words "to 
the saints at Ephesus" (i. 1). These words are omitted 
from some of the most important manuscripts, and 
seem to be an interpolation. The probability is that 
an encyclical letter was addressed to the Ephesian 
churches — that is, to the churches in the district of 
Ephesus — and that this letter was sent to Laodicea as 
a distributing center, and afterward the name of the 
metropolitan church of the district was inserted as 
the church particularly addressed. But that the epistle 
was not meant for this church exclusively appears to 
be borne out by the absence of all local coloring. If 
the position be accepted that it was written especially 
for the Gentiles in the Ephesian churches, every 
difficulty is removed, and the teaching of the epistle 
becomes clear. 

Paul certainly must have had interest enough in 
the Church in Ephesus to write a letter to it. His 
stay in Ephesus was longer than in any other city 
which he visited in his missionary tours. His work 
there was full of difficulties. Ephesus was an ancient 
city of great wealth and refinement. It was one of 
the leading seaports and markets of Asia Minor. Its 
two great attractions were its immense theater, capa- 
ble of seating fifty thousand people, and its world- 



The Epistle to the Ephesians 171 



renowned temple of Artemis, or Diana, which was one 
of the seven wonders of the world. The population, 
which was mostly Greek with a strong Asiatic mix- 
ture, was addicted to the practice of the black art. 
And one of the results of the preaching of the gospel 
by Paul was that expensive books on magic were col- 
lected and burned in the public square (Acts xix. 18, 
19). Another result of his preaching was the diminish- 
ing of the revenues of the craftsmen who made silver 
shrines of Diana and sold them to the multitudes who 
gathered at the great festival held in honor of the 
goddess. These men, headed by Demetrius, raised a 
tumult, and organizing a mob, rushed to the theater. 
Here they indulged in an indescribable uproar, cry- 
ing out by the space of two hours, Great is Diana of 
the Ephesians! The rabble was finally quieted and 
dispersed by the town clerk, but the incident con- 
vinced Paul that his work was done for the time; so 
he left the city and departed into Macedonia. 

Afterward, when on his way to Jerusalem, Paul 
had a touching interview with the Ephesian elders at 
Miletus (Acts xx. 17-38). 

Ephesus became one of the important centers of 
Christian influence. It became as intimately associ- 
ated with the ministry of John as Jerusalem was with 
the ministry of James. It was also one of the seven 
churches to which a special message was sent. The 
letter in Revelation reveals something of the condi- 
tion of the Church a few years after Paul's de- 
parture. "The merits and faults are alike those of 
a highly enlightened and mature community, deeply 
taught in divine truth and jealous for its purity, but 
allowing the chill to which a traditional faith, how- 



172 The Teachings of the Books 



ever exalted in its creed and theory, is liable, to infect 
their love of Christ" (Moule). 

Under the chief theme of Christ and His Church, 
the principal points discussed in this epistle are, — the 
gospel an eternal plan and not an episode in the 
divine government; the permanent place of the Church 
in the outworking of the divine purpose in the world; 
the dependence of the Church upon Christ for its life; 
the glory of the redeemed; the oneness of Jew and 
Gentile in participation of the blessings of the gospel; 
the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer the pledge 
or seal of the sufficiency of the supply of divine life 
for growth into the fullness of the life of Christ; the 
dropping of the old life by the development of the new ; 
the victory over sin by crucifixion with Christ rather 
than by self-crucifixion; the sanctifying of life's rela- 
tionships by representing them as ties between the 
human and divine. 

When looked upon as a sequel or supplement to the 
epistle to the Colossians, to be read to the same con- 
gregations, this epistle becomes luminous in meaning. 
It enforces truths already stated and defended, and 
carries them out to their practical conclusions as fac- 
tors in the life of the Church. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

Written "to set forth the ground, the course, the 
aim and end of the Church of the faithful in Christ" 
(Alford). Written for the purpose of unfolding the 
doctrine of "the social or organic character of Chris- 
tianity" (Canon Gore). 

In the epistles to the Romans and Galatians faith 
is individualistic; it admits the soul who possesses it 



The Epistle to the Ephesians 173 



into fellowship with God. Here it is social; it admits 
the soul who possesses it into the body of Christ, so 
that he becomes part of a living organism, a member 
of a holy brotherhood of fellowship and service. 

This union of the believer with the body of Christ 
forms the basis of a Christian socialism. Out of union 
with Christ comes union into a Christian fellowship, 
and out of union into a Christian fellowship comes 
union into a world-wide brotherhood. The Church is 
the nucleus of that new social order which lies at the 
end of Christ's redemptive effort, and it is also the 
means of its realization. 

1. Development of the idea of the organic nature of 
Christianity. (1) The purpose of God is defined to 
be, "to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the 
heavens and the things upon the earth" (i. 10). This 
is the final end which God has in view — to bring all 
things in heaven and earth into one perfect unity, so 
that in all His universe there may be heard no note 
of discord. 

(2) This purpose of reconciliation, hid for ages, has 
now been made known (i. 9, iii. 5-9). Paul prays 
that "a spirit of wisdom and revelation" may be given 
that it may be understood (i. 17, iii. 9). 

(3) This purpose of unity is brought to fulfillment 
in Christ. How? (a) By uniting men to Himself. 
This is the starting point. Believers are chosen in 
Christ (i. 4); they have their sonship in Him (i. 5); 
they have redemption in Him (i. 7) ; in Him they are 
"made a heritage" (i. 11); in Him they are "created 
for good works," becoming "God's workmanship," a 
thing of God's making, a poem in which the divine 
goodness and beauty are expressed (ii. 10). The 



174 The Teachings of the Books 



reconstruction of humanity through the union of the 
individual soul with Christ is in harmony with God's 
predestined plan (i. u, ii. 10). (b) This new unity 
comes through the impartation by Christ of new life 
(ii. i). Life comes first, then organism. Life will 
take on some outward form. It will gather into itself 
everything it can utilize for its development. Paul t 
prays that Christians may be "filled unto all the full- 
ness of God" (iii. 19) with the life of love which Christ 
bestows, that being pervaded by one life-principle 
they may grow into one organic whole, (c) This new 
unity, of which Christ is the vital center, found its 
first visible expression in the union of Jew and Gentile 
(ii. 13-22). In Christ, Jew and Gentile were made 
nigh; the bitter enmity that existed between them 
was destroyed; so completely were they joined 
together that out of the twain one new man was said 
to have been created (ii. 15). The power that welded 
them into one was the sacrificial love of the cross 
(ii. 16). Their union was "in Christ." Christ is set 
forth in this epistle as the bond of spiritual union. 
The pregnant expression, "in Christ," which occurs 
in Paul's epistles one hundred and seventy-six times, is 
found in this epistle thirty-six times. The general 
scope of its meaning is, that within the zone of 
Christ's influence we have a new man, a man with a 
new nature and with new characteristics, and also 
a new mankind, a reconstructed humanity in which 
the incarnation of Christ is completed, (d) This new 
unity, of which Christ is the center, is realized in and 
through the Church. Jew and Gentile having been 
made "one new man" in Christ, form one body, in 
which the Spirit of the ascended Christ is operant, and 



The Epistle to the Ephesians 175 

in which His fullness resides as "the fullness," "the 
brimmed receptacle" (Farrar), "of Him that filleth 
all in all," or "of Him who filleth all things 
with all things" (i. 23). The risen Christ fills the 
Church with His plenary fullness, that through it 
might be made known " the richly variegated 
wisdom of God" (iii. 10). He fills every member 
with gifts and graces suited to his circumstances, 
that in cooperation with his fellow members he may 
fill up that which remains of the service of Christ 
to the world, (e) The Church itself is the center 
of a wider unity. The divine life with which it is 
filled is destined to expand until it fills "all things" 
(iv. 10). The end for which Christ "ascended far 
above the heavens" was that He might empower the 
Church for her sublime mission of filling the world 
with His reconciling spirit. With this great ideal of 
a world filled with the Spirit of Christ the mind 
of Paul was haunted. He saw the Church in which 
Jew and Gentile were united widening beyond her 
boundaries, and growing into a spiritual temple more 
glorious than the temple of Diana; he saw the Church 
losing herself in the life of the world, until humanity 
itself became a spirit-filled temple, "a habitation of 
God in the Spirit" (ii. 22). 

2. Ways in which the unity in Christ of redee7ned hu- 
manity may be promoted. 

(1) By keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond 
of peace (iv. 3). All true union is spiritual. Those 
who are indwelt and moved by the Spirit are bound 
together in the girdle of peace; their differences are 
harmonized; their aims and purposes are unified; they 
possess and express a true communal life. In so 



176 The Teachings of the Books 



far as people are truly Christian they are already 
united. 

(2) By maintaining the unity of the faith (iv. 5). 
"There is one body," the universal Church, "and one 
Spirit," the Spirit of the ascended Christ; "one 
Lord," acknowledged by all Christians; "one faith," 
by which all are united to Christ; "one baptism," in 
which the Lord is confessed. Union is upon the 
essentials. Where there is difference of opinion, there 
may be oneness of faith. 

(3) By putting the individual life into the life of 
the Church (iv. 16). Christ put Himself in fullness 
into the life of the Church. He lost His life that He 
might find it again. A life of social isolation is a life 
void of power. A life that is poured into the gen- 
eral life of the Church or community comes to the 
fullness of its power. 

[' (4) By working for the same ends, sustaining 
towards each other harmonious relations, and being 
mutually helpful one to another (iv. 11-16). The same 
unity is to exist between Christians that exists between 
the various parts of the body. They are to grow up 
together into all things, developing progressively and 
proportionately through the constructive power of a 
common life, that they may cooperate in the accom- 
plishment of common results. 

(5) By cultivating the graces that make for social 
unity. (1) Putting away the things that alienate from 
the life of God (iv. 17-24). (2) Putting away the 
things that lead to social disruption, such as false- 
hood, anger, and malice (iv. 25-31). (3) Being "kind 
one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other" 
(iv. 32). (4) Seeking in everything to promote social 



The Epistle to the Ephesians 177 



harmony. Walking in love (v. 8), walking with care- 
ful steps (v. 15), living in every particular so as to 
actualize the oneness of humanity in Christ. (5) Dif- 
fusing a spirit of social joyousness. "Speaking one to 
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, mak- 
ing melody with the heart to the Lord" (v. 18, 19). 
This spirit of holy hilarity, which says, kfc I rejoice, do 
ye rejoice, is the sum of this epistle" (Bengel). 

(6) By the performance of reciprocal duties. Hus- 
bands are to love their wives and wives their hus- 
bands, that living in mutual love they may render 
each other mutual submission and service (v. 22-31). 
Their union is to form a type of the union of Christ 
and His Church. The life of Christ is to pervade 
and regulate all social relations: the relation of chil- 
dren to parents and parents to children (vi. 4), the 
relation of masters to servants and servants to mas- 
ters (vi. 5-9). 

(7) By uniting forces in a common warfare against 
4 'the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly 
places" (vi. 12-20). The Church is not an end in itself ; 
it is an instrumentality, an aggressive agency by 
which all the alien powers in the spiritual realm that 
fight against the divine order are to be overcome. 
The Christian is a soldier. He is to put on the whole of 
the God-provided armor, that he may fight for the van- 
quishment of the powers of evil and for the establish- 
ment of righteousness and truth. Armor is for earth, 
robes for heaven. Here we wear a helmet, there a 
crown ; here we wield a sword, there we wave a palm ; 
here we fight, there we rest. The battle is not to be 
given up until every rebellious power is put down, 
and the whole round world brought into harmony 
with the will of heaven. 



THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 



This is the first of a group of four epistles written 
by Paul during the first Roman imprisonment, A. D. 
61-63 (Acts xxviii. 30). The view of Meyer and 
others, that these epistles were written during Paul's 
imprisonment in Csesarea, is not convincing. 

Philippi, because of its strategic position as the 
gateway to Macedonia, was enlarged by Philip, the 
father of Alexander, from an obscure place to an 
important military outpost. Its population consisted 
mainly of Roman veterans. The Jews being too few 
in number to support a synagogue, met in a proseucha 
or prayer-house on the river bank, outside the town. 
Among the women who resorted hither honorable men- 
tion is made of Lydia of Thyatira, who belonged to 
the guild of dyers. As she listened to the words of 
Paul and Silas one Sabbath morning, as they told that 
little company of the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy 
in the coming of Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord opened 
her heart. The truth entered into her inmost being, 
she accepted Jesus as her Saviour, and was baptized in 
His name. She was the first European convert. Paul 
felt free to accept the hospitality which Lydia pressed 
upon him, as she was in all likelihood well-to-do. 
Gratitude for spiritual blessings was the motive of her 
unstinted ministry to the Lord's servants. When Paul 
wrote this epistle Lydia must either have been dead, 

178 



The Epistle to the Philippiaias 179 



or have removed from Philippi, otherwise there would 
most certainly have been mention made of her name; 
unless, as some have supposed, the reference to an 
unnamed "yoke fellow" points to Lydia, the seller 
of purple. 

In Philippi occurred one of the most striking inci- 
dents in Paul's remarkable career — namely his mirac- 
ulous deliverance from prison, and the conversion of 
the jailer. The whole scene is dramatically described 
by Luke in Acts xvi. 19-34. 

The circumstance which drew from Paul this let- 
ter was the arrival of the evangelist Epaphroditus 
with a gift of money from his thoughtful Christian 
friends at Philippi. It gladdened Paul's heart to be 
remembered in his solitude. • The deep interest of the 
Philippians in his welfare filled him with grateful joy. 
It has been suggested that there must have been a 
great deal of wealth in the Philippian Church, but 
that does not agree with the statement that the depth 
of their poverty abounded to the riches of their liber- 
ality (II. Cor. viii. 2). Never was the spirit of Chris- 
tian altruism more beautifully illustrated than by this 
struggling church. And it may be that their sacrifi- 
cial love led Paul's thoughts from the lower to the 
higher, and suggested to him those wonderful words 
about the self-emptying of Christ (ii. 5-7), in which we 
have perhaps the finest expression of the Christology 
of Paul. 

For other reasons the Church at Philippi was pecu- 
liarly dear to the apostle. Besides being the first 
European church, it was on the whole a satisfactory 
church. It had not fallen into any serious errors in 
doctrine, like the Church at Colossae; it had not 



l8o The Teachings of the Books 



grown lax in discipline, like the Church in Corinth. 
Its good name had not been smirched. Its members 
had on the whole manifested a godly deportment. 
Yet the leaven of evil was hid in the meal, and was 
beginning to work. A spirit of estrangement and dis- 
union was beginning to show itself. For the imme- 
diate healing of this breach Paul tenderly pleaded, 
that in all things the Church might fulfill her testi- 
mony for Christ and His righteousness. 

In this epistle there is no systematic arrangement 
of thought. The gold of truth is not found in veins, 
but in pockets. The personal element is almost as 
marked as in Second Corinthians, but the tone is 
more tender. The change at the beginning of the 
third chapter is so abrupt that some have thought that 
the second section gives evidence of being a new let- 
ter. But sudden changes were common with the 
apostle. Sunshine and cloud, calm and storm, fol- 
lowed each other in rapid succession. Warning, 
entreaty, instruction, invective, irony, reproof, are all 
employed in turn ; but all are sanctified by the holy 
motive expressed in the motto, "for Christ and His 
Church." 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

This letter, which was meant to be a simple note 
of thanks for a timely gift sent from the Church at 
Philippi to Paul during his imprisonment in Rome, 
forms a thread upon which are strung many priceless 
pearls of Christian thought. Important truth is taught 
incidentally, and a letter to a particular church be- 
comes a message to the Church universal. 

i. There is generous recognition of goodness in others. 



The Epistle to the Philippians i$l 



"I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you" 
(i. 3). His thankfulness for what he had received 
from them is for the time swallowed up in his thank- 
fulness for what they had received from God. Paul 
found much to praise and little to blame in his beloved 
Philippians. His letter to them is remarkably free 
from rebuke. The thing for which he was specially 
thankful was "their fellowship in furtherance of the 
gospel" (i. 5), and yet it is about this very matter of 
union in gospel work that he is specially solicitous. 
There had been a little "rift within the lute." Gen- 
eral harmony prevailed. Two Christian sisters, how- 
ever, had become estranged. To them is sent the 
special message, "I exhort Euodia, and I exhort 
Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord" (iv. 2). 
Fearing lest this disaffection should spread, he en- 
forces the necessity of maintaining a spirit of unity 
(i. 27, ii. 2, 3, 14). Paul was hopeful. His hopeful- 
ness was founded in part upon their past unity of 
spirit, but still more upon the conviction that the 
good work begun in them was only in its incipiency, 
and that God would carry it on until it was perfected 
in the day of Christ. "God," says a German philos- 
opher, "makes no half hinges." The work He begins 
He finishes. It will not be His fault if any one should 
fail. Cooperation with Him is demanded that the 
work begun may go on unto perfection, so that love 
may abound yet more and more, and life be filled with 
the fruits of righteousness (i. 9-1 1). 

The use of the word "all" has been often noted. 
This letter itself is addressed "to all the saints that 
are at Philippi. " Prayer is made for them all; confi- 
dence is expressed in them all; after them all Paul 



1 82 The Teachings of the Books 



longs "in the tender mercies of Jesus Christ." 
Among the things to be sought after are, "all discern- 
ment, " "all boldness," "all might," "all patience," 
"all fullness." By Christ and for Christ "all things 
were created." The object of His earthly mission 
is explained to be "to reconcile all things unto Him- 
self." 

2. A providential ordering of life (i. 12-20). While 
a prisoner in Rome Paul seized the opportunity pre- 
sented of preaching the gospel to the soldiers who 
were detailed to keep guard over him, and to whom 
he was successively chained. In this way his "bonds 
(literally, coupling-chain) became manifest in Christ 
throughout the whole Praetorian Guard" (i. 13), 
and even in Caesar's household converts were won 
to Christ (iv. 22). Thus the very things that seemed 
calculated to hinder the gospel redounded to its pro- 
gress. Seeing the success which attended this per- 
sonal work among a class which as a rule is not 
easily reached, the zeal of others was stirred up, 
and although this zeal was not always pure, Paul mag- 
nanimously rejoiced in any good that might be done 
through the truth which these factional preachers 
might proclaim. 

3. Life at its best. (1) A lofty aim. To magnify 
Christ, whether by life or by death (i. 20). Christ 
was the inspiration and pattern of Paul's life. Love 
to Christ was his dominant motive; the reproduction 
in his life of the life of Christ his constant aim. For 
him to live was for Christ to live over again in him 
(i. 21). (2) A sublime view of death, "To die is 
gain." All the garnered experiences of the present 
are carried into the future. Nothing is lost. Death 



The Epistle to the Philippians 183 



is the birth into a higher life. (3) Drawn in opposite 
directions. In a strait betwixt departing to be with 
Christ or remaining at work (i. 23). Had Paul's mind 
undergone a change? Is he now thinking of death 
rather than of the coming of Christ? Is he thinking 
of going to be with Christ rather than of Christ com- 
ing to be with him? In his outlook there is no change 
whatever, but death and the coming of Christ blend 
into one, both being alike near. Death is at hand, 
"and the Lord is at hand" (iv. 5), hence death is 
looked upon as coincident with Christ's coming. 
There is to be no period of waiting after death, but 
instant enjoyment of the Lord's presence, and instant 
transfiguration into His glory. (4) As between living 
and dying there is no choice. The matter is left at 
God's disposal. The only object in continued life is 
continued usefulness (i. 22-30). 

4. Necessity of cultivating unselfishness. A man's 
interests begin with himself, but they do not end with 
himself. (1) Paul enjoins the Philippians to look 
upon their own things, to make progress in faith, to 
"behave as citizens worthily," to be united in spirit, 
to keep cool under the fire of the enemy, to be ready 
to suffer in the behalf of Christ. (2) He enjoins them 
to look not only to their own things, but "also to the 
things of others" (ii. 4). Self-love must not degener- 
ate into selfishness. Self-love is right, selfishness is 
wrong; it is utterly opposed to the spirit of Christ. 
"Love your neighbor as yourself"; look upon the 
things of others as upon your own, look upon them 
thoughtfully, intelligently, sympathetically; look upon 
them through Christ's eyes. 

Christianity is unselfish in spirit. It widens a 



1 84 The Teachings of the Books 



man's interests. It gives to his love a threefold direc- 
tion; up to God, in to self, and out to his fellowmen. 
It gives value to his life by exalting the nature and 
multiplying the number of its interests. 

5. The power of Christ s example. In the famous 
passage extending from the fifth to the eleventh verse 
of the second chapter of the epistle an argument for 
a life of self-denial is drawn from the incarnation. 
The method of the incarnation is suggested. Christ 
Jesus, who [originally existed "in the form of God," 
"counted it not a thing to be grasped to be on an 
equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the 
form of a bondservant, being made in the likeness of 
man." (1) The self-emptying of Christ, which is 
held up for imitation, is the essential thing in His 
incarnation. It implies "an emptying as to use and 
manifestation, and not as to possession" (Bruce). In 
becoming man He emptied Himself of His divine 
glory, not of His essential Godhead. He submitted 
to the limitations of human life. He manifested Him- 
self in the flesh as far as it was possible for the Infi- 
nite to manifest Himself through the finite. He came 
down to man's level that He might lift him up into 
union with Himself. "He clothed Himself with a 
body like ours that He might clothe us with a glory 
like His." (2) The self-emptying of Christ was com- 
pleted in His death. He emptied Himself in becom- 
ing man, he emptied Himself still further in taking 
the form of a servant; he emptied Himself yet more by 
"becoming obedient even unto death, yea the death 
of the cross." This was the climax of His self-humil- 
iation. His death was the supreme act of self-sur- 
rendering love; it was the completion of the gift of 



The Epistle to the Philippians 



i8 5 



Himself to the world. The motive of His death was 
love, its purpose redemption. He became man, was 
subject to human conditions, that he might die; He 
died that He might redeem. When the divine like- 
ness in man was waxing dim and was ready to vanish 
away, Christ came in the likeness of man and died in 
the likeness of man to restore in man the fading like- 
ness of God. (3) The humiliation of Christ, which 
began with His birth, ended with His death. His 
exaltation began with His resurrection, and never 
ends. He was exalted to the right hand of power 
by His sacrifice, and unto Him has been given "the 
name which is above every name, that in the name of 
Jesus" — the name he bore in His humiliation — "every 
knee should bow" (ii. 9, 10). The lesson taught is 
this: Through humiliation comes exaltation, through 
self-emptying comes self-enrichment, through the 
cross of sacrifice comes the throne of power. 

6. Divine and human factors. (1) The constant 
inworking of divine power an argument for personal 
activity. "Work out your own salvation with fear 
and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, 
both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (ii. 13). 
Work, for God is at work on your behalf. Cooperate 
with Him in securing the things which are embraced 
in the divine plan. Let your only fear be that of fail- 
ing to avail yourself of the help of your mighty ally. 
(2) Reinforcements. To strengthen them in the 
faith, Paul purposed to send Timothy unto them 
shortly, for, says he, "I have no man like-minded who 
will care genuinely for your state" (ii. 19-24). He 
also sent back Epaphroditus, by whose hand the Phil- 
ippians had sent their gift. Epaphroditus had 



i86 



The Teachings of the Books 



endeared himself to Paul. So ardently had he thrown 
himself into the work at Rome that he had been pros- 
trated by a dangerous illness. Paul would fain have 
retained him, but he unselfishly gave him up to the 
Church which needed his service and which longed 
for his return. In sending him back he put into his 
hands this letter, fragrant with affection; with it richly 
repaying all their benefactions. 

7. A digression. The flow of Paul's thought is 
arrested. He thinks of those false teachers who are 
sowing seeds of evil, and he exclaims, "Beware of the 
dogs, beware of the evil-workers, beware of the con- 
cision" (iii. 2) — that is, beware of dog-like men who 
are contentious and malicious; beware of those who 
work from evil motives; beware of the amputators, 
the dividers, as he ironically calls those who sub- 
stitute the cutting off of the flesh for the circumcision 
of the heart. Having uttered his warning, the thunder 
cloud rolls past, and the sun again breaks out. 

8. Self-confidence renounced. Paul felt that he had 
as much reason as any one to have confidence in the 
flesh. He enumerates the points in his favor (iii. 4-6). 
All the things in which he once prided himself he now 
tosses overboard (iii. 7). In comparison with the 
excellent knowledge of Christ everything else was 
mere "refuse." One desire he had, and that was to 
be found in Christ, not having a self-originated right- 
eousness, but one which came from Christ through 
faith (iii. 9). With his life rooted in Christ, he sought 
to come into conformity with Him in His death and 
resurrection (iii. 10, 1 r). The death and resurrection 
were not to him doctrines to be believed, but things to 
be experienced. To know the power of Christ's death 



The Epistle to the Philippians 187 



we must die with Him ; to know the power of His resur- 
rection we must rise with Him and become transfig- 
ured into His likeness. 

9. Conditions of progress. (1) Dissatisfaction with 
the present (iii. 13). Satisfaction with present attain- 
ment puts a fatal arrest upon all progress. (2) For- 
getfulness of past successes and failures, remembering 
only their lessons and making use of them in the 
improvement of the present. (3) Concentration of 
effort upon one thing. The prize of life is lost when 
energy is squandered upon a multitude of objects. 
(4) Discerning the purpose for which Christ seeks to 
influence us and seeking to realize it. By taking hold 
of that for which Christ has taken hold of us, the goal 
of life is reached (iii. 13, 14). (5) By copying the best 
human models (iii. 17). (6) By minding heavenly 
things (iii. 19, 20). The man whose citizenship is in 
heaven will make the best citizen on earth. 

10. Things emphasized. (1) The ground of stead- 
fastness. "Stand fast in the Lord" (iv. 1). (2) The 
ground of joy. "Rejoice in the Lord alway" (v. 1). 
Joy is the undertone of this epistle. It is not possible 
to have abiding joy in ourselves, in our surroundings 
or in our prospects; but it is possible to have abiding 
joy in Christ. There is something in Him which 
when known is fitted to fill the heart of man with joy 
unspeakable and everlasting. (2) Thankfulness for 
coming mercies. "With thanksgiving let your requests 
be made known unto God" (xv. 6). Anticipate God's 
goodness, sing in the dark of the coming light, give 
thanks for the promised blessing which is already on 
its way. (3) The cultivation of companionship with 
noble thoughts (iv. 8). Look at the good side of 



i88 



The Teachings of the Books 



things, keep in a pure spiritual atmosphere, cherish 
lofty ideals. Thought is generative of deed. (4) The 
secret of contentment learned. "I have been initiated 
into the secret of contentment" (iv. 11). Where? In 
the school of Christ. Contentment does not come by 
nature. It is implied that much effort is required to 
master this hard lesson. (5) The source of strength. 
"I can do all things" — that is, all things that I am 
called upon to do — "in Him who strengtheneth 
me" (iv. 13). "I can do" expresses a sense of 
power, "in Christ" points to the source of power. 
Power is present and continuous; it comes through 
Christ who "strengthens," or "is strengthening" all 
who are in union with Him. And since from Him is 
the power, to Him be the glory. "Let your boast be 
in the Lord" (iii. 1). 

11, A closing word of personal thanks. Paul, in clos- 
ing, comes to the subject which was the occasion of 
his writing this letter. He rejoices in the generosity 
of his Philippian converts. Their thought for him 
had "revived" or "blossomed" once more (iv. 10). 
This was at least the fourth time that they had minis- 
tered to his necessities. All that their thoughtful 
kindness needed to make it bloom anew was a fresh 
opportunity. But Paul cared less about the gift itself 
than about the benefit which came to them in the giv- 
ing of it. He could have done without it, they could 
not. What He sought for them was fruit which 
increased to their account (iv. 18). As for himself he 
says, "I have all things and abound." Yet he knew 
how to receive a gift gracefully; he knew also how to 
make the giving of a gift minister to grace rather 
than pander to pride. The things that came from 



The Epistle to the Philippians 189 

them he speaks of as "an odor of a sweet smell, a 
sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God" (iv. 19); 
and he assured them that into their bosoms God 
would pour choicer gifts than those which they had 
bestowed upon His servant. "My God shall fulfill 
every need of yours according to his riches in glory 
in Christ Jesus" (iv. 19). The liberal soul shall be 
made fat. 



THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS 



This letter is addressed to a church which Paul 
had not planted (i. 2). It was written about the same 
time as the Epistle to the Ephesians, upon the occasion 
of the visit of Epaphras, a presbyter of the Church of 
Colossas, to Rome. Upon what mission Epaphras 
came to visit Paul we are not told. One thing is cer- 
tain, he must have informed him of the condition of 
the church of which he was an officer. Paul's sym- 
pathy was at once enlisted for a church in the danger 
of being beguiled by a destructive heresy which was 
masquerading under the form of an advanced philos- 
ophy. The subtle enemy had already gained a foot- 
hold within the gates of the Church, and that was 
reason sufficient why Paul, upon whose heart lay the 
welfare of all the churches, should write, turning the 
white light of the gospel upon this new error, exposing 
its nature and its tendencies, and delivering the Colos- 
sians from its destructive power. 

Colossae at this time was not a very important 
place. Its glory had departed. It was overshadowed 
by the neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis. 
It gradually dwindled in size, until it finally disap- 
peared, its very site being a matter of uncertainty. 
When Christianity was introduced into that decaying 
town on the banks of the Lycus, in the valley of 
Phrygia, the new life forces which it evoked finding 

190 



The Epistle to the Colossians 191 



but few practical outlets, the people busied them- 
selves with unprofitable speculations. The Jewish 
element was the prominent one in the Colossian 
Church, and the peculiar form of heresy which 
they embraced was a strange compound of Jew- 
ish legalism and Gnostic philosophy. This Judaeo- 
Gnostic heresy plucked from the head of Christ His 
crown of glory by regarding Him as a mere emanation 
from God, the eternal God represented in terms of 
flesh. Hence the main object of Paul's letter is to 
show that Christ is the universal Lord, that His incom- 
parable greatness and glory must not be dimmed by 
giving to Him a subordinate place within the scheme 
of creation or of redemption. And as the corollary 
drawn from that position, Christians are complete in 
Christ. Not in meat or drink, not in outward ordi- 
nances do they find completeness, but in the indwell- 
ing life of Christ. In His grace all life is transfig- 
ured. And since to Him is the power, to Him should 
be given the glory. 

This epistle is closely related to the Epistle to the 
Ephesians; nearly forty parallels of language and 
thought may be traced between them. Yet this 
epistle contains much that is peculiar to itself. It is 
more polemical in tone than Ephesians; it gives a 
more sharply defined conception of the doctrine of 
the person of Christ, and sets itself more definitely to 
correct certain errors of teaching. It was probably 
written before Ephesians, and lays down the thesis of 
which Ephesians is an amplification and application. 
Its style is not as free and flowing as Ephesians, but 
it is none the less forceful. Evidently the apostle is 
upon new ground, and while he is absolutely sure of 



192 



The Teachings of the Books 



himself, he shows that he is dealing with an unfamiliar 
subject. Some of the words which he uses, such as 
(Eon and pleroma, are not used by him elsewhere. 

The letter itself was sent by the hand of Tychicus 
on his departure from Rome for the East, he stopping 
at Colossae by the way to fulfill the commission of 
Paul (Col. v. 7). The salutations at the close of the 
epistle come in naturally enough from the circum- 
stance that Paul had met several of the members of 
the Colossian Church. The Church was probably 
organized by disciples from Ephesus during Paul's 
ministry there (Acts xix. 10); and although he had 
not visited it personally he had known of its origin, 
and the revival of interest awakened by the report of 
Epaphras was the revival of an interest which had 
never ceased to exist. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

This epistle is twin to the Epistle to the Ephesians. 
It was written about the same time, has the same 
general atmosphere of thought, the same ethical aim, 
and the same exalted conception of Christ and the 
Church. The central thoughts, however, of the two 
epistles are different, that of Ephesians being the union 
of Christ and His Church, that of Colossians being 
the preeminent glory of Christ as the agent of creation 
and the author of salvation. 

From the epistle itself we are able to gain a clear 
conception of the object for which it was written. 
Seeds of Oriental mysticism had taken root within the 
Church of Colossse, and were spreading so rapidly 
that the pure doctrine of Christ was in danger of being 
choked. A heretical movement which received it? 



The Epistle to the Colossians 



193 



initial impulse from the Alexandrine school of philos- 
ophy was showing itself in two directions, one specu- 
lative, the other ethical. Matter was looked upon as 
evil, and the source of evil. Being evil, it could not, 
of course, have come directly from God, nor could it 
be governed directly by Him. In the effort to remove 
God as far as possible from contact with things evil, 
the creation and government of the world were rele- 
gated to a graded order of intermediate beings. And 
since in matter, and not in the perverted will, was 
found the source of evil, deliverance from sin was 
sought, not in the life of God imparted to the soul, 
but in the mortification of the flesh. Hence arose an 
ascetic tendency; abstinence from certain kinds of 
food was enjoined; the observance of certain days 
was insisted upon, and the attainment of the higher 
life was made dependent upon the performance of 
occult rites and ceremonies. Out of this grew an 
esoteric class whose claim to sanctity lay in abstrac- 
tion from the world and contempt for the body. The 
descendants of this class were the unkempt, unwashed 
pillar saints of the Middle Ages. This esoteric class 
did not go the length of affirming that those who 
failed to adopt their ascetic practices were not Chris- 
tians; all they affirmed was that they were Christians 
of a lower grade than themselves. The place of the 
uninitiated was in the outer court of the temple of 
Christian experience; the initiated alone were privi- 
leged to tread its inner courts. 

Peculiar interest attaches to the study of this epis- 
tle from the circumstance that the very heresies which 
threatened the faith of the Colossian Church are being 
revived in the present day. There is nothing new 



194 The Teachings of the Books 



under the sun. Old tendencies reappear; old errors 
survive under changed forms. Streams which run 
underground and are lost to sight come after a time 
to the surface. And the charm of this letter, written 
to an obscure church in a sleepy, decaying town in the 
heart of Asia Minor, is that it reads like a modern 
production, supplying as it does an antidote to certain 
tendencies common to every age, and containing some- 
thing of the essential, eternal truth which speaks to 
the universal heart. 

How did Paul seek to counteract this subtle Ori- 
ental mysticism which threatened to sap the very 
foundations of the Christian faith? How did he 
attempt to neutralize its influence? What truth did 
he oppose to it? The answer is clear. He set in 
contrast to it the doctrine that Christ is the sole 
medium of creative and redemptive activity; that by 
Him the world was made, and by Him the world is 
being redeemed. To unfold that doctrine is the 
object of this epistle. Among the things made promi- 
nent are : 

i. The importance of faith in Jesus Christ as a spir- 
itual center. The thing for which Paul thanked God 
on behalf of the Colossians was that they anchored in 
this faith (i. 4), a faith which was founded upon "the 
word of the truth of the gospel" (i. 5), a faith which 
was "bearing fruit and increasing" (i. 6), a faith 
which was growing in enlightenment and power 
(i. 10, 11), a faith which was producing moral meet- 
ness for "the inheritance of the saints in light" (i. 13). 
Although in danger of drifting out into the shoreless 
sea of a dreamy, unpractical mysticism, they had not 
yet slipped their cable. They still held to Christ and 



The Epistle to the Colossians 195 

His teaching. By showing them that they had every- 
thing to lose and nothing to gain by renouncing 
Christ, Paul sought to confirm them in the faith. 

2. The exalted nature of Christ. "The image of the 
invisible God" (i. 15). Christ was the supreme and 
sufficient manifestation of God, the connecting link 
between God and the world, and between God and 
man. The need of a series of intermediate beings to 
connect an evil world with a holy God is ruled out by 
the incarnation, in which the divine and human are 
united. God manifest in flesh means a personal God 
made visible, intelligible, and accessible. It means a 
God whom we can know, with whom we can hold 
intercourse, and in whom we can find the fountain of 
love and holiness. In a word, it means love made 
visible, for God is love. 

3. The creator ship of Christ. "In Him were all 
things created" (i. 16). "In Him all things consist" — 
that is, "hold together" (i. 18. margin R. V.). Here 
we have the Christian theory of the origin of the 
universe. The fact that Christ is the creator of all 
things establishes: (1) The doctrine of his Godhood. 
(2) It gives a new meaning to nature, making it the 
outbirth of the redemptive principle. The work of 
creation is the work of Him who died on the cross. 
Creative activity is as much a necessity of the divine 
nature as redemptive activity. (3) The end of crea- 
tion is discovered. "All things have been created 
through Him and unto Him" (i. 17). In Him the 
purpose of creation is at once expressed and fulfilled. 
(4) It shows our absolute dependence upon Christ. To 
Him we trace all we have or hope to have. And since 
to Him we owe everything, for Him we ought to use 



196 The Teachings of the Books 



everything. We ourselves belong to Him. He made 
us for Himself. We answer the end of our creation 
only when we live "unto Him." 

4. His headship over the Church. "He is the head 
of the body, the Church" (i. 18). This position He 
has taken "that in all things He might have the pre- 
eminence" (i. 18), His place of supremacy in the 
world's affairs coming through the agency of the 
Church, whose movements He controls. To enable 
the Church to extend her sway, He brings her into 
possession of "the fullness of God" (i. 19). 

5. The union of all things in Him. This union is 
accomplished through the cementing power of the 
blood of His cross (i. 20). It works out from an indi- 
vidual center, beginning with the reconciliation of 
the alienated soul (i. 21, 22), and ending with the 
reconciliation of an alienated world. 

6. Christ the hidden source of spiritual life. The 
explanation of all goodness found in man is given in 
the words, "Christ in you the hope of glory" (i. 27). 
To unfold to the Gentiles the mystery hid from ages 
past that Christ is the secret root from which every 
holy life is nourished, was looked upon by Paul as his 
peculiar mission. What need of angels or emanations 
when Christ Himself is in every man helping him to 
live a better life? Christ is man's good angel. 

But while Christ is in every man, Christians are 
"in Christ"; they derive their life consciously from 
Him; they are "rooted and built up in Him" (ii. 7). 
He is a flowing fountain which pours itself into their 
lives. They exchange their own emptiness for His 
fullness. In Him "dwelleth the fullness — or total- 
ity — of the Godhead bodily," and in Him they are 



The Epistle to the Colossians 19*7 



made complete (ii. 9, 10), receiving from Him a full 
complement of spiritual supplies. 

The fullness of divine life enjoyed by those who 
come into union with Christ is available for all. 
There is nothing here of intellectual or spiritual 
exclusiveness. The benefits brought to man are not 
for an initiated few. Of the indwelling Christ, who is 
the root of righteousness, Paul says, "whom we pro- 
claim, admonishing every man, and teaching every 
man in all wisdom, that we may present every man 
perfect in Christ" (i. 28) — that is, perfect after the 
ideal presented in Christ, perfect through the power 
supplied in Christ. Perfection in Christ is attainable 
by all. 

7. Christ the sovereign of the unseen realm — "the 
head of all principality and power" (ii. 10). The 
world of spirits is under His control. There is there- 
fore no need to conciliate bad angels or to court the 
favor of good angels. The Lord, in whom we trust, 
has all authority in heaven and on earth. Having 
been buried with Him to the world in baptism, and 
having been "raised with Him through faith in the 
working of God" (ii. 12), we are to live the heavenly 
life, triumphing over the principalities and the powers 
in His name, being delivered from all fear touching 
that which lies beyond our mortal ken (ii. 15). 

8. Practical conclusions. From a false philosophy 
come false ethical standards; from the application of 
false ethical standards comes a type of religious life 
marked by the absence of humility, having "a show 
of wisdom" which leads its possessor to be "vainly 
puffed up in his fleshly mind" (ii. 18). The Christian 



198 The Teachings of the Books 



who is satisfied with his attainments has too low a 
standard of moral measurement. 

(1) ^Things to be avoided, (a) Christians are not 
to allow themselves to be judged by outward observ- 
ances (ii. 16). (b) They are not to allow themselves 
to be robbed of the heavenly prize by having their 
dependence upon Christ weakened, or their allegiance 
to Christ divided (ii. 18, 19). Christ will have all our 
confidence and all our allegiance, or none, (c) They 
are not to "subject themselves to ordinances" which 
restrain their liberty by saying to them, "Handle not, 
nor taste, nor touch"* (ii. 20, 21). In the entire 
regulation of their lives they are to assert their spirit- 
ual freedom under Christ, (d) They are to eschew 
all ascetic practices, for the good reason that there 
is in them no spiritual value whatsoever. They put 
no real check upon "the indulgence of the flesh" 
(ii. 23). A mad plunge is often taken from asceticism 
into animalism. The washed sow returns to her wal- 
lowing in the mire; the sow that has been transformed 
into a sheep prefers the green pastures. The body is 
kept under by keeping the spirit on the top. 

(2) The one thing essential. "Holding fast the 
Head" (ii. 19). Recognizing Christ as "all in all" 
(iii. 12). It is not enough that Christ be not denied, 
He must not be put in a secondary place. He is not 
merely one of the world's great teachers, He is the 
world's greatest teacher. He stands alone. All that 
is good in other systems is found in its purity and 
completeness in His teaching. He is the only 
teacher whom it is safe to follow in all things. He 

*This text is generally misapplied. It is looked upon as an exhortation 
to abstinence. Instead of that it is really a warning against slavish restraint. 



The Epistle to the Colossians 199 



will not be patronized as good enough to start from. 
He is the Omega as well as the Alpha of God's revela- 
tion to man. His word is final. Nor is He merely 
one of the world's saviors; He is the world's only- 
Savior. The world has many helpers; it has but one 
Savior. Nor is He merely something in the life of 
the Christian; He is everything. No higher life is 
possible than the life which comes from Him. That 
life is here represented as (a) something received. 
"Christ is our life" (iii. 4); He stirs within us as a 
resurrection power (iii. 1, 4); His will blends with 
ours (iii. 9, 10); His word "dwells in us [literally, 
keeps house within us] richly" (iii. 16). He is the 
life of our life, (b) Something outwardly expressed. 
Inflow is followed by outflow. "Whatsoever ye do in 
word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord 
Jesus" (iii. 17). This command is all-inclusive. It 
comprehends every possible duty. Let Christ control 
the inward life, and He will be supreme in the out- 
ward life; live in Him and with Him, and you will live 
for Him; live for Him, and all life's duties will fall 
into their proper place in the divine order. 



THE EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS 



These two books are the earliest of Paul's writ- 
ings, having been written about 52 A. D., during his 
stay in Corinth. Not only are they the earliest of 
Paul's writings; they are also, with one possible ex- 
ception, the earliest books of the New Testament, 
preceding the gospels by several years. As the first 
fruits of an ever-enlarging Christian literature they 
claim special attention and interest. What a vast 
amount the world has found in Christianity worth writ- 
ing about! No one has ever stirred the intellectual 
and spiritual life of the world so profoundly as the 
Man of Nazareth. 

HISTORICAL SETTING 

The Church addressed was in Thessalonica, an 
important city of Macedonia, situated on the north- 
west coast of the ^Egean Sea. It stands in full view 
of Peleon and Olympus. It was the residence of a 
Roman proconsul, and a military station on one of the 
great highways of travel between Rome and the East. 
It is to-day one of the leading towns of European 
Turkey. Its population numbers about one hundred 
thousand. Its present name is Salonica. 

Christianity was introduced into Thessalonica by 
Paul on his second missionary journey. He had just 
been liberated from the prison of Philippi, where he 

200 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 201 



and Silas had been beaten with rods. A wayworn 
traveler, he arrived at Thessalonica, along with Silas 
and Timothy, at a time of famine. The means 
received at Philippi had been exhausted, so he worked 
day and night at his trade of tent-maker to procure 
the necessaries of life. During his stay in Thessa- 
lonica he sojourned with one Jason, who afterward 
became a devoted co-worker. 

For three Sabbath days he preached in the syna- 
gogue, but with little result. The Jews were suspi- 
cious and unresponsive. Then he turned to the Gen- 
tiles, among whom he had many converts ; one of whom, 
Aristarchus, became a sharer with him in his later 
trials (Col. iv. 10). 

The Jews, filled with jealousy because of the suc- 
cess of this new sect, stirred up a mob, who assaulted 
the house of Jason, where the apostle and his friends 
were thought to be concealed. Warned of the danger, 
they had taken refuge elsewhere, but Jason himself 
was seized and dragged before the magistrates,* being 
released on condition that he would no longer harbor 
the followers of the Nazarene. To avoid further 
peril to Jason, Paul and his companions departed 
under cover of night to Berea. 

THE OCCASION 

Paul had been anxious to visit the church which 
he had planted, and which he had been forced to 
leave before his work of instruction and confirmation 
had been completed, but the way for doing so had not 

*The word used by Luke in his narrative for magistrates is " politarchs"; 
a word not found in ancient literature. Did Luke make a mistake? Con- 
firmation of the accuracy of his narrative is found in the circumstance 
that this word which was used to designate the seven magistrates who ruled 
the city, is found inscribed on one of the stones taken from an arch in Thes- 
Salonica, and now in the British museum. 



202 The Teachings of the Books 



opened. When he came to Corinth he sent Timothy 
to inquire after their welfare. A good report was 
brought back concerning their spiritual condition.* 
Two things, however, troubled Paul about them; they 
were encircled by the fires of persecution, and they 
were disturbed from within touching the death of 
some of their numbers. Their point of difficulty was 
this: Would those who had fallen asleep in death be 
shut out from a share in the Messianic blessings 
which were to be enjoyed at the coming of the Lord? 

Unable to visit them in person, Paul sat down, and 
in the fullness of his heart wrote to them a letter 
with the twofold object of exhorting them to con- 
tinued steadfastness in the midst of their afflictions, 
and to dissipate their fears regarding those who had 
died before the Lord's second advent. While emphasiz- 
ing the immediacy of the Lord's return he assures 
them that the living would have no advantage over the 
dead. He encourages them to be faithful, warning 
them to beware of the wiles of the evil one, whose 
rage was fierce because his time was short, and holding 
up before them the hope of their speedy deliverance. 

Commenting on this epistle, Professor Jowett says, 
"It does not detract from its value to say that it is 
without an object." Never had an epistle a more 
definite object. 

SECOND EPISTLE 

The second epistle was written a few months after 
the first, to correct certain wrong impressions that 
had been formed regarding the second advent. The 

*It is held by some that a letter was sent by the Thessalonians to Paul 
stating their difficulties. Professor J. Rendel Harris has attempted the 
reconstruction of a letter from the Thessalonians out of expressions which 
appear to be quotations from the Thessalonian letter. 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 203 



Thessalonians had been thrown into the wildest excite- 
ment; their faith had become morbid; disorders had 
sprung up among them; they had become inattentive 
to the practical duties of life.* To check the fire of 
fanaticism, Paul assured them that while the Lord's 
return was indeed imminent, they had entirely misun- 
derstood its real character, and had drawn from his 
teachings upon the subject most unwarrantable con- 
clusions. Before the Lord's return certain signs were 
to appear. "The lawless one," who opposed God and 
usurped His place, was yet to be revealed. And at 
the time of the greatest darkness the Son of Man was 
to come, destroying His enemies and bringing deliv- 
erance to His oppressed Church. 

A true conception of the second advent, instead 
of paralyzing them with fear, was fitted by quickening 
hope to lead them to increased activity and courage 
in the performance of the duties of the present. 

DOCTRINAL VALUE 

These two epistles bring us into close touch with 
the generation in which our Lord lived. They show 
what ideas were agitating the minds of his disciples 
immediately after his departure. Their thoughts were 
all of their absent Lord. They held to the simple 
faith which had been the theme of Paul's preaching 
when he was among them, and was now the theme of 
his letter written a month or two after his enforced 
retreat. That faith was historical and Christological. 

*It has been maintained by some that the emotional conflagration among 
the Thessalonians can be explained only on the assumption that an incendiary 
letter purporting to come from Paul had reached them — reference to this 
spurious letter being found in Chaps, ii. 2, iii. 7. But their mistake concern- 
ing Paul's teaching in his first letter was in itself sufficient to account for 
their perturbation. 



204 



The Teachings of the Books 



Simple as it was, in it were the germs of thought devel- 
oped by Paul in his later writings. The advanced views 
of the person and work of Christ found in Ephesians 
and Colossians had not yet been worked out. Nor had 
the great question of justification by faith, discussed 
in Romans and Galatians, come into sight. The fun- 
damental truths to which the Church in its infancy 
clung were that Jesus died and rose again, and that 
He was about to return in power and glory, to be for- 
ever present with His people. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 
FIRST EPISTLE 

In this letter there are no formal divisions, yet its 
contents may be grouped under three heads — namely, 
things personal, things doctrinal, and things practical. 
The first division, which is preliminary to the second, 
is the overture to the main piece, for as Dr. Farrar 
so well says, the second part contains "the doctrinal 
kernel and chief motive of the epistle;" the third 
division is the epilogue, in which the teaching of the 
whole is gathered up and applied. 

i. Things personal. 

This part is largely reminiscent, and is marked by 
tenderness of spirit, gentleness of touch, and sweet- 
ness of tone. Only once does the indignation of Paul 
break forth, and that is when he thinks of the hind- 
rance put upon his work by the bigoted opposition of 
the Jews (ii. 14-16). These few hot words form only a 
momentary digression. False teachers had not yet 
appeared to vex his righteous soul by their tare-sow- 
ing. The churches had not been moved from the 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 205 



simplicity that is in Christ. The questions that agi- 
tated them, if not strictly ethical, are looked at from 
an ethical standpoint. It is therefore as a spiritual 
teacher, and not as a dialectician, that Paul speaks 
in this epistle. 

(1) There is a word of thanks to God for their "work 
of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our 
Lord Jesus Christ" (i. 3). Their faith was no "pau- 
per grace," but brought forth the fruit of holy deeds; 
their love was no mere sentiment, but was the spring 
of beneficent activity; their patience was not the 
patience of hopelessness which faces the future with 
dumb, stolid indifference, but the patience of hope, 
which is sweet and sunny, enduring and courageous. 

(2) The way in which the gospel came to them. "Not 
in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, 
and in much assurance" (i. 5). Behind the word as 
an outward symbol they saw the thought of God, and 
felt its quickening touch. Hence came inward convic- 
tion of its truth and experience of its power. 

(3) How the gospel was received. (1) In much afflic- 
tion, with joy of the Holy Spirit (i. 6). In the joy 
born of the Holy Spirit all the trouble of the moment 
was swallowed up. (2) It was "accepted not as the 
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God" 
(ii. 13). (3) With practical effect. When they heard 
it they "turned unto God from idols, to serve a living 
and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven" 
(i. 9, 10). Waiting did not hinder working. While 
waiting for the deliverer they served the living God, 
by whom He was to be sent. 

(4) How the gospel was preached (ii. 1-16). (1) With 
holy boldness (ii. 2). (2) With godly sincerity (ii, 3). 



206 The Teachings of the Books 



(3) Without flattery (ii. 5). (4) Without self-seeking 
(ii. 6). (5) With gentleness and tenderness (ii. 7). (6) 
With labor and travail (ii. 9) — two things without 
which no great undertaking was ever accomplished. 
(7) With a practical aim (ii. 12). This kind of preach- 
ing was not in vain (ii. 1). It never is. Upon those 
who received it, it had an encouraging and saving i 
effect (ii. 11, 12). Upon those who opposed it, it 
brought wrath to the uttermost (ii. 16). 

(5) Pastoral longings. "Bereaved" of his Thessa- 
lonian converts "for a season of an hour" (ii. 17), 
Paul desired to be with them, to the end that he 
might establish their hearts unblamable in holiness 
before our God and Father, at the presence of our 
Lord Jesus with all His saints (iii. 13). Unable to 
visit them in person, he sent Timothy from Athens 
(iii. 1-5), to instruct them more fully in "the Way." 
As a young church, emerging from a life of heathen- 
ism, they needed guidance. Evil is often done 
through inexperience. A church without a teacher 
and leader is always in the gravest peril. 

(6) The ethical kernel of the epistle. This is con- 
tained in the threefold exhortation; — please God, 
renounce sin, love the brethren; or to make it one 
exhortation, please God by renouncing sin and loving 
the brethren, (a) Please God. "Ye ought to walk 
and to please God" (iv. 1), that is, ye ought to live so 
as to please God. It is possible to please Him; it is 
easy to please Him; it is obligational to please Him. 
Duty demands it. Gratitude demands it. (b) Re- 
nounce sin (iv. 1-8). The Thessalonian Church was 
composed almost entirely of Gentiles who had been 
delivered from an abyss of corruption. They were 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 207 

in constant danger of returning to the pollution of 
heathenism. Hence the need of constant and strenu- 
ous striving after purity. It is implied that it is pos- 
sible for Christian virtues to grow in heathen soil. 
Christianity is adapted to every social condition. 
(c) Brotherly love (iv. 9, 10). This was a new grace, 
and under such uncongenial skies it required careful 
nurturing. It is a grace that is always hard to grow; 
but it is the consummate flower of Christianity. 
2 . Things doctrinal (iv. 13-18, v. 1-11). 

(1) A heart-aching question. The question which 
disturbed the Thessalonian was this: If Christ was 
coming soon to set up His kingdom and to gather His 
elect into it, what of those who had died before His 
coming? Would they share in the glories of His Mes- 
sianic reign, or would they.be left out on account of 
the mere accident of death? Paul's answer was that 
those who remained and were alive when Christ 
returned would not go before, or get any advantage of, 
those who had fallen asleep (or were "falling asleep," 
R. V.) in Christ; for the Lord would deliver them 
from the region of the dead, and would unite them in 
one everlasting fellowship with those who were on 
earth at His coming. 

(2) A glorious hope. That Paul expected he would 
live to see the second advent is evident from the 
words, "we that are alive and remain." And had he 
not good ground for this expectation in the prom- 
ise of Christ, "There be some of them that stand 
here which shall in nowise taste of death till they see 
the Son of man coming in His kingdom"? (Matt. xvi. 
28). Did the Lord "come as He had promised?" 
He certainly did not come as His followers expected. 



2o8 The Teachings of the Books 



Does He ever come in the manner in which He is 
expected to come? 

(3) The object of this hope. Not "the coming" of 
Christ, but His "presence." The word "coming" is 
not used at all. The word so rendered is in the margin 
of the Revised Version rendered "presence. " It means 
presence, and nothing but presence. Endless confu- 
sion has arisen from forcing another meaning upon it. 
There are four instances in this epistle in which the 
word occurs, in all of which it has the same meaning, 
(a) The Thessalonians were to be Paul's crown of 
rejoicing "before the Lord Jesus Christ at His pres- 
ence" (ii. 19). (b) The aim of Paul was to present his 
converts blameless " at the presence of our Lord Jesus 
Christ" (iii. 13). (c) They that were left unto the presence 
of the Lord were in nowise to precede them that had 
fallen asleep (iv. 15). (d) Paul prays that the spirit 
and soul and body of his readers might be preserved 
entire at the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 23). 
The real object of Paul's hope, then, was not the 
approach or the arrival of Christ, but His presence. 

(4) The ground of this hope — the resurrection (iv. 14). 
The resurrection gives a living Christ, who vanquishes 
death, ascends to heaven, and returns to earth to 
dwell forever with His people. Apart from the resur- 
rection, the spiritual and abiding presence of Christ 
could not be realized. The resurrection showed that 
the Messianic hopes centered on Him were not vain, 
and that by being present in the very heart of the 
world's life He had power to set up His kingdom. 

(5) The way in which that hope was to be realized. 
(a) Christ was to come suddenly and secretly "as a 
thief in the night." Signs were to appear, but His 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 209 



coming itself being spiritual would be unobserved, as 
is the case with all spiritual changes. How seldom 
do the people of any age discern the epoch-making 
spiritual movements passing before their very eyes! 
(b) His coming was not to be a miraculous event, 
but the coming "z/z His kingdom." It was to be dis- 
pensational. (c) It was to be accompanied with 
judgment (v. 1-11). Upon the heedless disbeliever 
sudden destruction was to fall. The deliverer was to 
be the destroyer. 

(7) What the teaching of Paul implies. It implies 
that the Lord, who promised to return soon, kept His 
promise, and is now here. This is the age of His 
presence. We are the people of His presence. Our 
comfort in tribulation is to know that the Lord is with 
us "all the days." This is the consoling truth en- 
shrined in the doctrine of the second advent for those 
who go through the coming to the presence. 

(8) The aspect of Christ which the doctrine of the pres- 
ence presents — His resurrection power and kingly 
glory. It is not without significance that He is 
spoken of as Lord twenty-five times in this epistle. 
He is represented as coming in majesty, descending 
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch- 
angel, and with the trump of God (iv. 16). The 
strongest possible imagery is employed to show that 
He who died in weakness was to return in power; that 
He who came the first time as a lonely sufferer was to 
come again as a conquering king. The absorbing 
thought in the minds of the early Christians was the 
coming of Christ in kingly power to establish His 
sovereignty on the earth. 

(9) The final goal. "That whether we wake or 



2io The Teachings of the Books 



sleep, we should live together with Him" (v. 10). 
Those who were alive at the presence of the Lord 
were to be caught up together in the clouds with the 
saints who had been raised from the dead, and meet- 
ing the Lord in the air were henceforth to be forever 
with Him (iv. 17). In the one transfiguration of the 
earthly into the heavenly, and in the one life of 
unending fellowship with their Lord, the dead and the 
living were to share together. Whether any one lived 
or died made no difference. If he lived, he was to be 
raised up with Christ and made to sit with Him in 
heavenly places. If he died, he was not to go down 
to the clods of the valley; or to go out to wander, a 
disembodied spirit, in the pale, realms of shade; but 
he was to go up out of the earth-life into the heaven- 
life. 

But the comforting word to the Thessalonians had 
special reference to the departed. No longer was 
there to be a term of waiting in the underworld. To 
be absent from body was to be present with the Lord. 
Death was virtually abolished. At the girdle of the 
risen Christ hang the keys of death and of Hades. 
When He closed Hades he opened Heaven. He emp- 
tied the underworld, leading its captives captive. 
Having prepared a better place, He comes to take us 
directly to it when we close our eyes upon these 
earthly scenes. Instant death is now instant glory. 
With these words comfort one another. 

3. Things practical. The last two chapters are 
hortatory. Prominent among the things enjoined are: 

(1) Vigilance. Because of the suddenness of Christ's 
appearing the proper attitude of His people was that of 
watchfulness. They were to live as if they expected 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 211 

at any moment to be ushered into the Lord's imme- 
diate presence, yea they were to live continually as in 
His sight. 

(2) Hopefulness. They were to watch and wait for 
a glorious future, in which Christ was to be supreme. 
The glowing vision which opened before them was 
to inspire with courage in the conflict of the pres- 
ent. (3) Carefulness in the details of daily conduct. 
Avoiding idleness and disorder and "always following 
that which is good" (v. 15). There is a cluster of 
wise counsels put in the tersest form (v. 17-22). "Re- 
joice alway, " if not in self or in surroundings, then in 
God; "Pray without ceasing," not only in the sense 
of making the whole of life one continuous prayer, 
but also in the sense of cherishing such unbroken 
confidence in God that all the separate acts of prayer 
shall be bound in one continuous chain of faith; "in 
everything give thanks, " not in things agreeable only, 
but in those experiences which wring the heart with 
agony, for all of them are shot through with love, and 
work for redemption; "quench not the Spirit" by 
failing to obey His inward promptings; "despise not 
prophesyings, " from whomsoever they may come; 
"prove all things," throwing away the spurious and 
keeping the genuine; "abstain from every form of 
evil," however plausible and seductive it may appear. 

Exhortation ends in prayer. "And the God of 
peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your 
spirit and soul and body be presented entire, without 
blame at the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ" 
(v. 23). In the present day, for "at the presence" we 
should read "/« the presence." 



Ill The Teachings of the Books 



SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 
SECOND EPISTLE 

This epistle was written to clear up certain wrong 
conceptions regarding the second advent. The 
former teachings are reemphasized ; not a single 
modification of view is made nor needs to be made. 
The point of the epistle is to show that wrong conclu- 
sions had been drawn from a correct premise. 

In what direction lay the mistake of the Thessalo- 
nians? It lay in taking Paul's words too literally, as 
many in the present day are still doing. He had 
promised a personal coming; they looked for a phys- 
ical coming. What they failed to see was that the 
coming of Christ might be both personal and spiritual. 

What a sad travesty of Paul's teaching it makes to 
imagine that the coming which he looked for speedily, 
and which he taught the Thessalonians to prepare 
for, has not yet been realized, and that after long 
centuries of deferred hope which have made the heart 
sick, the Church is still to look for the return of her 
absent Lord. Is the promise "a little while and ye 
shall see Me" to be stretched over more than eighteen 
hundred years? This is to impugn the honesty of 
Christ's promise, which the teaching of Paul re- 
echoes. 

And what a sad travesty of the doctrine of apostolic 
inspiration it makes to say that Paul was mistaken; 
and that he afterward changed his opinion upon the 
question, relinquishing his hope of seeing the Son of 
man coming in His kingdom. 

The things which Paul makes clear "touching the 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 21 J 



presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering 
together unto Him" (ii. 1) are the following: 

1. That the Thessalonians were not deluded. They 
had merely thrown the truth of the second advent out 
of its proper perspective, and things had thereby 
become distorted and confused. The day of the Lord 
had not actually begun to dawn, as they supposed, 
but it was on the way, and was not far distant. If 
Paul, in his second epistle speaks more guardedly, he 
does not speak less definitely. He has no need to 
correct himself, nor has he any need to explain him- 
self, save for the benefit of those who had misunder- 
stood the bearing of his words.* But the central and 
essential truth — to-wit, that the presence of the Lord 
was imminent — had taken hold of the Thessalonians 
with an overmastering grip. 

2. That while there was to be no postponement of the 
second advent, certain signs were to appear before it tran- 
spired. "These things must needs come to pass first," 
said Jesus, "but the end is not immediately" (Luke 
xxi. 9). Here the same caution is thrown in, "Let 
no man beguile you in any wise; for it will not be, 
except the falling away come first and the man of sin 
be revealed" (ii. 3). Here, then, were two signs 
which were to precede the second advent — the apos- 
tasy and the revelation of the man of sin. (1) The 
apostasy. "The apostasy represents a multitude, the 
man of sin an individual. They may exist contempo- 
raneously, but they are not identical." (J. Stuart 
Russell). f Was not a defection from the faith one 

*Says Dr. Denny, " When Paul wrote this epistle I do not doubt that this 
was his hope, and it does not impugn his authority in the least that it was a 
hope destined not to be fulfilled." {The Epistles to the Thessalonians, p. 
176.) Why impose upon apostolic authority the unnecessary burden of re- 
sponsibility for a mistake upon a point so vital? 

t The Parousia, p. 178. 



114 The Teachings of the Books 



of the things which Jesus had foretold as a sign of 
His second advent? "When the Son of Man cometh 
shall He find faith on the earth?" (Luke xviii. 8). 
The persecution about to break out would winnow 
the chaff from the wheat. (2) " The man of sin," 
or more literally "the man of lawlessness." Who 
was he? He is not named, but the Thessalonians 
probably understood to whom the reference was 
made. Reasons of prudence kept the apostle from 
being more explicit, (a) He is described as "the 
son of perdition" (ii. 3) — a monster of iniquity, (b) 
As opposing and exalting himself against all that is 
divine (ii. 4). (c) As assuming divine preroga- 
tives — sitting in the temple of God and giving himself 
forth as God (ii. 4). (d) As having already come into 
power (ii. 7). (e) As restrained for a season (ii. 7). 
(f) As having a diabolical parousia — his presence 
being as the working of Satan (ii. 9). It may not be 
necessary to clothe this arch-enemy with historical 
attributes. The description may stand for a personi- 
fication of pagan Rome. Yet the description seems 
exactly to fit the Emperor Nero, who was generally 
regarded by the early fathers as the veritable anti- 
christ. 

But the main point to be kept in view is that before 
the parousia the evil which was working was to come 
to a climax. At the darkest hour the dawn of the new 
day was to break. As a matter of fact, several 
years did elapse before the parousia took place. The 
Thessalonians evidently thought it might be within 
that very year. The lesson taught is the necessity of 
carefulness in reading prophecy, that we may discern 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 215 



the signs of the times and mark the stages of God's 
unfolding purpose. 

3. That it is ''''rather the suddenness than the immediacy 
of Christ's coming that is urged" (Marcus Dods). Paul 
sought to tranquilize the Thessalonians by assuring 
them that they had no need to be "shaken in their 
mind, nor yet troubled, as that the day of the Lord 
was now present" (ii. 1, 2). The storm was indeed 
brewing, the clouds were rolling up, the distant mut- 
tering of the thunder could be heard, and however 
long or short the time of respite, the storm would 
break suddenly; therefore the need of constant watch- 
fulness. 

4. That judgment was imminent. The day of the 
Lord was to be both a day of salvation and of judg- 
ment. ( 1) There was to be a "revelation of the Lord 
Jesus from heaven, with the angels of His power in 
flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them who know 
not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our 
Lord Jesus" (i. 7, 8). This is the language of poetry. 
It describes a dramatic scene of deep spiritual signifi- 
cance. (2) This righteous judgment of God, which 
was to fall first upon the Jewish persecutors, was to 
consist of "an age-long destruction from the presence 
(literally, from the face) of the Lord and from the 
glory of His might when He shall come to be glorified 
in His saints" (i. 9, 10). (3) It was to fall upon 
"the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall consume 
with the breath of His mouth, and bring to nought 
by the manifestation of His presence" (ii. 8, 9). 
The power of the pagan oppressor was not to be 
destroyed by a display of outward glory, but by the 



2l6 



The Teachings of the Books 



life-giving breath of Christ, and by the manifestation 
of His spiritual presence. It is in this way that the 
power of evil is now being broken. (4) It was to 
fall as a moral blight upon those who "received not 
the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous- 
ness" (ii. 11, 12). Judicial blindness was to be their 
fate. God was to send them "a working of error that 
they should believe a lie" (ii. 11). They were to 
become blind to moral distinctions. This judicial 
result is not inconsistent with benevolence or justice. 
It is simply the carrying out of character to its legiti- 
mate end, and that surely is both benevolent and 
right. 

5. That redemption was near. The revelation of 
Christ in judgment was to bring them rest from afflic- 
tion (i. 7). While Christ's enemies were to be ban- 
ished from His presence, His people were to be 
gathered together unto Him (ii. 1).* They were to 
be "counted worthy of the kingdom of God" (i. 5), 
and were to obtain "the glory of our Lord Jesus 
Christ" (ii. 14). With such hopes before them well 
might they lift up their heads with joy. 

6. That the blessed hope upon which the Church is now 
to lay hold is not '"''the revelation of the Lord Jesus from 
heaven, " but the revelation of the unseen Lord, who is ever 
and everywhere present. His presence is to be more and 
more realized; His kingdom is to become more and 
more visible. All the world is yet to acknowledge 
Him as king. A new and more powerful evangelism 
is to be founded upon the twin truths — Christ is pres- 

* "Christ is coming," says a modern commentator, "there will be a 
gathering together of all His people unto Him." Ought we not rather to say, 
"Christ has come; there is a gathering of the people unto Him. He is the 
center of a new spiritual and social reconstruction." 



The Epistles to the Thessalonians 217 



ent, and in mighty works of saving power His presence 
is to be increasingly manifested. 

7. That a correct view of the doctrine of the presence 
will have a healthful moral effect. (1) It will hush fear 
rather than awaken it. Those who believe that relief 
has come will have comfort in tribulation. (2) It 
will "stablish the heart in every good word and 
work" (ii. 17). (3) It will fill the heart with 
"the patience of Christ" (iii. 5), the patience that 
not only endures, but that endures without repin- 
ing. In the sunshine of Christ's presence the 
flower of patience grows to perfection. (4) It will 
put a check upon all idle and disorderly conduct. 
Those who expect the Lord's presence, and much 
more, those who realize it, "will with quietness work, 
and eat their own bread." The best preparation 
for the Lord's coming is the faithful performance of 
our ordinary business. The way to make ready for 
the Lord's appearing is not to put on ascension robes, 
or to maintain a certain posture, or to make prophetic 
calculations as to the day and the hour, but to do our 
daily duty as it comes to us. "Blessed is that servant 
whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing," 
and equally blessed is that servant whom his Lord who 
has come finds so doing. 



THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO 
TIMOTHY AND THE EPISTLE 
TO TITUS 

These three epistles form a group by themselves. 
Much of the instruction they contain is ad clerum. 
They have been called the pastoral epistles. Inci- 
dentally they throw a flood of light upon the develop- 
ment of the Church. They present the Church in the 
making, as the raw material upon which Christ is at 
work. They also present the Church as the visible 
embodiment of redemptive agencies, the instrument 
which Christ is preparing for the out working of His 
plan. 

The organization of the Church is of the very 
simplest character. In it there is no hierarchy or 
priestly class. There are bishops, elders, or presby- 
ters to look after spiritual affairs, and deacons to 
look after temporal affairs, such as the support 
of the Church and the care of the poor. In most 
churches there was a plurality of elders, as was the 
case in the Jewish synagogue, from which the name 
of the office of elder seems to have been borrowed 
(Luke vii. 3). The apostles were a class by them- 
selves. They were appointed directly by Christ, and 
when they died they left no successors (Acts xi. 30, 
xv. 2). The earliest ecclesiastical gathering was a 
council, which as the name imports, was for the 

21S 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 219 



mutual conference, and not for the exercise of judicial 
authority (Acts xv. 1-29). 

The question of the authorship of these epistles is 
surrounded with great difficulties, but the weight of 
probability lies on the side of their Pauline authorship. 
It is not improbable that in their present form they 
are the work of a later hand, based, however, upon 
Pauline writings of the latest period. The first epistle 
seems to have been written immediately after the 
apostle was freed from his first imprisonment, about 
64 A. D. (Acts xxviii. 30). After two years of mis- 
sionary service were completed, and Paul was again 
arrested and imprisoned, the letter to Titus and also 
the second letter to Timothy were written. 

Timothy, to whom two of the pastoral epistles are 
addressed, was a native of Lystra. His father was 
a Greek and his mother a Jewess. When he was a 
child his father died, and he was brought up by his 
mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, both of 
whom were Christian disciples. Paul had from the 
first a very tender regard for Timothy. He virtually 
adopted him. To him he never grew old; he always 
called him his son. 

Timothy's conversion took place when he was quite 
young, probably not more than sixteen or seventeen 
years of age. Of his religious life it is said: (1) That 
he "confessed the good confession before many wit- 
nesses" (I. Tim. vi. 12). His confession of Christ 
was manly and open. (2) He was set apart to the 
work of an evangelist by the laying on of the hands 
(I. Tim. iv. 14). (3) He received special gifts to 
qualify him for the work (II. Tim. i.6). (4) He was 
Sent on important missions; to Macedonia (Acts 



220 The Teachings of the Books 



xix. 22), to Corinth (xvi. 10), to Ephesus (I. Tim. i. 3). 
(5) He was with Paul in Rome (Phil. ii. 19-20). Paul 
also mentions him in the superscriptions of five of his 
epistles. He took him along with him on his second 
missionary journey, when, to prevent trouble and in 
deference to Jewish sentiment, he had him circumcised. 
From this time onward he was his almost constant 
companion. The apostle's estimate of his worth is 
given in the words, "As a child serveth a father, so he 
served with me in the furtherance of the gospel" 
(Phil. ii. 22). 

The first letter which Paul wrote to Timothy after 
his liberation from his first imprisonment was sent to 
him at Ephesus, where he had been left in charge of 
the Church. The condition of the Church was such 
that it required delicate handling. Timothy was 
naturally timid and sensitive. He needed a reinforce- 
ment of courage to help him take hold of the prob- 
lems before him, and he needed advice as to how to 
take hold of them. 

The second letter was in all likelihood written after 
Paul's arrest at Troas and his reimprisonment at 
Rome. As he felt that the time of his departure was 
at hand he longed to have Timothy beside him. In 
the gathering shadows he wanted to feel the touch 
of that gentle hand. His main object in writing was 
to urge Timothy to hasten to his side. Apart from 
other reasons, this epistle possesses special interest 
because it shows how the great apostle regarded his 
approaching end. In it are some of the farewell words 
in which he poured out his soul. 

In these epistles there are marked peculiarities of 
language; words are used which are not found in any 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 221 



other of Paul's writings; there is also an absence of 
his most familiar turns of expression; the style is 
also different. It is didactic and discursive. Instead 
of the usual rush of thought which characterizes 
Paul's writings, the thought moves on from point to 
point in a quiet and leisurely fashion. From this 
difference in phraseology and style some have inferred 
that Paul could not have been the author of these 
epistles. But Paul was not confined to a limited 
vocabulary; he possessed great versatility, and could 
move easily from one sphere of thought to another, 
adapting his language to the new realm of things into 
which he entered. When addressing a preacher and 
giving to him instruction in doctrine and directions 
for the government of the Church, he of necessity 
used a different set of terms from those employed 
when he was addressing a Church. Nor is there the 
slightest doctrinal discrepancy involved in his altered 
presentation of the doctrine of faith. When pointing 
out to a brother minister what ought to be preached, 
he would naturally dwell more upon the objective than 
upon the subjective side of things. Let due consid- 
eration be given to the new range of thought embraced 
in these epistles, and any departure from Paul's usual 
forms of expression which they indicate can be readily 
accounted for. 

The letter to Titus comes in between the two let- 
ters to Timothy. It was written from some unknown 
resting-place about the end of the first year of Paul's 
missionary labor after his release. He had left Titus 
at Crete to complete the work which he had begun. 
The post was a difficult one, but Paul knew that his 
trusted and tried companion in arms would do his best 



222 The Teachings of the Books 



to hold it for the Master. Titus had been with him 
in many a well-fought battle. He had accompanied 
him on his second visit to Jerusalem (Gal. ii. 1-5) ; he 
had comforted him in his loneliness (II. Cor. vii. 6); 
when he did not meet him at Troas as he had expected, 
"he had no relief for his spirit" (II. Cor. ii. 12, 13). 
And now he asks Titus to rejoin him at Nicopolis, 
where he hoped to spend the winter. To convey this 
wish was the primary object of his letter; but he 
could not proffer his request without adding words 
of counsel and encouragement, and all the more 
because he felt that the hour of their final separation 
was drawing nigh. His interest in Titus and in all his 
fellow-laborers was unabated to the last. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS. 

Fortunately the spiritual teaching of the pastoral 
epistles is not affected by the question of authorship. 
They possess special value as reflecting the latest and 
ripest thoughts of Paul. (1) They show his growing 
confidence in the destiny of the Church. He was not 
afraid for the safety of the ark. The Church was now 
an organized body. It had an institutional life which 
required shaping and directing. (2) They show also 
his growth in toleration. Age had mellowed his 
spirit. Error is condemned as vigorously as ever, but 
with less severity. The iron hand is encased in the 
velvet glove. (3) They show his growing apprecia- 
tion of the essential truth in Christian doctrine and 
of the essential things in Christian character. They 
go down to the bed-rock of essential Christianity, 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 223 



FIRST EPISTLE 

1. This letter opens with counsel as to teaching and 
teachers. "The end of the charge" which Paul gives 
to Timothy, his "child in faith," and which he 
exhorts Timothy to give to others, is, "Love out of 
a pure heart and a good conscience and faith un- 
feigned" (i. 5). This is not only the main point in 
Paul's charge, it is the main point in his epistle. It 
is the end of all that he has to say. 

2. " The sound doctrine, ' ' or more literally, ' i the whole- 
some teaching, " committed to his trust, was in danger of 
being perverted (i. 11). Some having missed the mark, 
had already turned aside unto vain and empty talking 
(i. 6). And worse than all, they had become morally 
corrupt. Their lives were stained with things which 
were "contrary to wholesome teaching" (i. 10); 
which shows that doctrine and conduct are intimately 
connected. Whatever is "contrary to sound doc- 
trine" is morally bad. 

3. The charge of Paul to Timothy came out of the 
depths of his own experience. (1) He testifies to the 
enabling power which he had received for the service 
to which he was appointed (i. 12). (2) He lays bare 
the secret motive of his self-denying ministry. "I 
was compassionated; I, who had been a blasphemer 
and a persecutor and injurious, I obtained mercy 
(i. 13); therefore I serve my Lord, whose debtor I 
am." (3) He magnifies the grace which abounded to 
him exceedingly (i. 14). In the faithful saying, "Christ 
Jesus came into the world to save sinners," he found 
hope and comfort as a sinful man. Others might call 
him the chief of saints; he called himself the chief of 



224 The Teachings of the Books 



sinners (i. 15). (4) In him the long suffering of Jesus 
Christ found a most conspicuous example (i. 16). 
(5) The Lord, in whom he trusted as Saviour, he 
exalted in his thought as "the king of the ages, to 
whom belongs honor and glory unto the ages of the 
ages" (i. 17). 

4. In keeping this charge Timothy would be fulfilling 
the love-born prophecies which had been made regarding 
his ficture (i. 18). The child is father to the man. 
Prophecy leads the way to the ideal which it reveals. 

5. Regulations for the household of faith. Directions 
for worship. Not specific rules so much as principles 
that are to guide in all acts of worship. (1) A spirit 
of wide human sympathy in prayer. Prayer was to 
be offered for all sorts and conditions of men, for the 
following reasons: (a) Because there is one God who 
stands in the same relation to all men, and who, there- 
fore has one redeeming purpose that embraces all 
alike, (b) Because there is one mediator through 
whom God is known, and through whom men are 
reconciled to Him. (c) Because one ransom price has 
been paid for the deliverance of all (ii. 1-7). Divine 
universality puts human narrowness to shame. We 
are to pray for all because God is seeking the salva- 
tion of all. (2) Specific directions as to deportment, 
in all of which there is an application of the gospel to 
the new society, (a) Holy hands are in every place 
to be lifted up to heaven in prayer (ii. 8). (b) 
Women are to make their adornment consist not in 
costly jewels, but in "beautiful works" (ii. 9). 
Motherhood is to be honored. The woman being 
"saved through child-bearing" (ii. 15); her greatest 
curse being through grace turned into her greatest 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 11$ 

blessing. (3) Directions as to the duties of Church 
officers (iii. 1-13). Official requirements are specified, 
(a) The bishop, or overseer, is to be "without 
reproach" (iii. 2). (b) Deacons are to be "blame- 
less" (iii. 10). A high standard of character is 
demanded of the officers of the Church because by 
them the Church is represented, and largely through 
their agency its influence is propagated, (c) The 
necessity for the highest official excellence is urged, 
on the ground of the dignity of the Church, which is 
"the house of God, the assembly of the living God, 
the pillar and stay of the truth" (iii. 15). The 
Church conserves the truth, and is in its turn con- 
served by the truth. 

6. Dangerous elements in the Church. As had been 
foretold, in these later times there was a falling away 
"from the faith" (iv. 1). A flood of error had swept 
into the Church. (1) Turning from the Holy Spirit, 
they had given heed to "seducing spirits" (iv. 1). 
(2) Turning from the truth of God, they had accepted 
"doctrines of demons" (iv. 1), attributing to demoniac 
agency what should have been attributed to God. (3) 
Marriage had been forbidden, the marriage state 
being looked upon as impure (iv. 3). (4) Abstinence 
was enjoined from meats, which as God's "good crea- 
tures" ought to have been received with thanksgiving 
(iv.3,4). All of these ascetic practices are unsparingly 
condemned. They imply an abuse of God's gifts. 
They make self-conquest consist in self-repression, 
rather than in self-control. They exalt the soul by 
despising the body. The soul is above the body, but 
the body, as the soul's instrument and as God's 
workmanship, is to be reverenced and cared for. 



226 The Teachings of the Books 



"Bodily exercise profiteth for a little, but godliness is 
profitable for all things" (iv. 8). 

7. Rules for personal conduct. (1) Care for the 
body, so as to keep it healthy and efficient. Timothy, 
for his stomach's sake, was to substitute the use of 
wine for water (v. 23). (2) The duty of soul culture, 
"Give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching" 
(iv. 13). Reading comes first, because the mind must 
be stored with knowledge that there may be some- 
thing to draw from. "Reading maketh a full man, " 
and all the knowledge that is garnered is for practical 
use. (3) The duty of cultivating divine gifts (iv. 14). 
Power, when neglected, shrinks. (4) Personal culture 
a preparation for public service. "Take heed to thy- 
self and to thy teaching" (iv. 15). Preaching being 
the communication of truth through personality, the 
power of a message lies in the man behind it. 

8. The sanctificaiion of life's relationships. ( 1 ) Age 
and official position are to be respected (v. 1-3). (2) 
Those who are relieved from home cares are to give 
themselves to work of piety (v. 4-6). (3) Christian 
fathers are to provide for their households (v. 8) — not 
bread and butter merely, but all that is necessary to 
the highest welfare of the home. (4) Care for 
widows inculcated (v. 9, 10). (5) For elders who 
labor in word and doctrine (v. 17). The ministries of 
Christian benevolence are to be rendered to all classes 
according to their special needs. 

9. Lapses in conduct traced to errors in doctrine 
(vi. 3-6). (1) The words of the Lord Jesus which are 
renounced are "healthful" and healthgiving (vi. 3). 
They are "according to godliness" (vi. 3). (2) The 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 127 



words of the errorists are empty frothings (vi. 4). 
They deceive by declaring that "godliness is a gainful 
trade" (vi. 5). In contrast to this false teaching, 
Paul asserts that godliness, when connected with 
contentment with God and with the orderings of His 
providence, is great gain (vi. 6). 

10. A common heresy. This heresy consists in 
regarding the pitiful passion of the accumulation of 
wealth as justifiable. "They that desire to be rich," 
they that are determined to be rich, expose themselves 
to peril. "The love of money is a root of all kinds 
of evil" (vi. 10). Not money itself, but the love of it. 
Money may be a power for good or a power for evil; 
but when money is loved for its own sake it eats the 
soul as doth a canker. It is a prolific source of all 
kinds of evil. There is no sin in the calendar of which 
it has not been the occasion. In view of life's seduc- 
tive temptations the Christian is to flee, to follow., and 
to fight; he is to flee from sin, to follow righteousness, 
and to fight the good fight of faith (vi. 11, 12). 

11. ' The good confession. The Christian is not to 
profess religion; he is to "witness the good confes- 
sion" (vi. 12, 13) — that is, the confession of Christ. 
He is to confess his need of Christ, his absolute 
dependence upon Him; his faith in His cleansing 
blood and reigning power. The good confession is 
distinct and distinctive. It is the supreme act of the 
soul. Never is man so noble as when he bows before 
the scepter of the cross, acknowledging love and loy- 
alty to the thorn-crowned king, and endeavoring to 
keep His commandments without reproach, living 
ever as "in the great Taskmaster's eye." 



228 



The Teachings of the Books 



12. The prize — "the life that is life indeed" 
(vi. 19) — that is, the only life that is worthy of the 
name of life. The life that is life indeed does not 
consist in the attainment of worldly ends, or in the 
gratifying of earth-born desires, but in the develop- 
ment of what is inward and spiritual, and in the pur- 
suit of high and unselfish aims. This life is some- 
thing to be laid hold of. We do not float into it. 
Effort must be made to win it and to keep it. 

13. Guarding the deposit. "O Timothy, guard the 
deposit," the treasure of God's truth, (vi. 20). The 
Church has a deposit of truth which every Christian 
is required to guard. He is to be a custodian of 
"the faith." Here we trace doctrinal growth. The 
word ' 'faith, ' ' which in Paul's earlier writings was used 
in a subjective and ethical sense, is here used in an 
objective and dogmatic sense. Faith as an individual 
conviction and experience has grown into "the faith," 
in which the collective conviction and experience of 
the Church is expressed. Already we find in the 
Church the rudiments of a confession or creed, which 
was in all probability recited or chanted in concert 
in their public assemblies. This creed antedates the 
so-called Apostles' Creed. So far as can be dis- 
covered it is the first formal statement of Christian 
doctrine. Starting with Christ's incarnation and end- 
ing with His ascension, it includes all that is essential 
in historic Christianity. That it was generally ac- 
cepted is evident from Paul's statement that it was 
held "without controversy." The creed itself, to- 
gether with the introduction affixed to it by Paul, 
runs thus: 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 229 



"And without controversy- 
Great is the mystery of godliness;* 
'He who was manifested in the flesh, 

Justified in the spirit, 

Seen of angels, 

Preached among the nations, 

Believed on in the world, 

Received up in glory. ' " (iii. 16). 

This is the deposit of truth which the Church is 
still to guard. 

SECOND EPISTLE 

In these final words Paul puts the emphasis upon 
the inward life of the spirit. It is the application of 
doctrine, rather than its development, that occupies 
his mind. When errors are referred to it is because 
of their moral blight. When well-known summaries 
of doctrine are rehearsed, it is not that they may be 
defended, but that they may be enforced. The 
chief aim of the epistle was to exhort Timothy to 
courage and faithfulness in the discharge of his 
duties, personal and official. In his last hours Paul 
was absorbed in thought of others. No more sublime 
spectacle can be imagined than that of this worn-out 
veteran, sitting down in the presence of his impending 
martyrdom, and with manacled hand writing a letter 
of consolation and encouragement to one whom he| 
was about to leave behind him. ^ 

1. Friendship upon a high plane. Paul had a joyful 
remembrance of Timothy's spiritual possessions. (1) 

♦The word mystery in the New Testament does not mean that which is 
occult or hidden, but that which has been revealed to the initiated. " Behold 
I tell you a mystery " (I. Cor. xv. 51) is the way in which St. Paul introduces 
his unfolding of the doctrine of the resurrection. 



230 The Teachings of the Books 



Of his faith (i. 5). (2) Of his pious ancestry (i. 5). 
His faith was his own, but it came to him naturally 
in accordance with the law of heredity. A tendency 
was inherited, not a moral state. (3) Of the special 
gift he had received by the laying on of Paul's 
hands. This divine gift he was to "stir into flame" 
(i. 6), keeping it in exercise that it might burn with a 
clear and steady light. 

2. A farewell testimony. "I know Him whom I 
have believed" (i. 12). I know Him as the one who 
has saved me "according to His own purpose and 
grace"; I know Him as the one who has "abolished 
death"; and "I am persuaded that He is able to 
guard my deposit against that day. " Paul the aged 
speaks out of long experience of Christ. He knew 
the depositary in whose hands he had placed the 
keeping of his life, and he had a feeling of perfect 
security that nothing could harm him in the day of 
fiery tribulation which he saw approaching. Paul had 
exhorted Timothy to guard the Lord's deposit — the 
deposit of His truth (I. Ep. vi. 20); here he assures 
him that the Lord will guard his deposit, the deposit 
of his soul. 

3. The source of help pointed out. (1) Of inward 
strength. "My child, be strengthened in the grace 
which is in Christ Jesus" (ii. 1). "Take thy part in 
suffering hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," 
sustained by the grace which He bestows. (2) Of 
power as a preacher. The preacher's power is in the 
living, mighty word which he proclaims. Men may 
bind the preacher, but "the word of God is not 
bound" (ii. 9). It has an inherent life which no civil 
power can fetter. To be an approved workman the 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 231 



preacher must "handle the word of truth aright"; he 
must "hold a straight course in the word of truth" 
(ii. 15, marginal reading, R. V.), hewing to the line, 
allowing the truth to speak for itself and accomplish 
its blessed purpose. The best defense of the truth is 
its correct interpretation. 

4. Varied forms of service. There is an enlarged con- 
ception of the Church. It is "a great house," which 
contains different kinds of vessels, some to greater 
honor, and some to less honor (ii. 20). The essential 
thing about these vessels is that they are all to be 
set apart, made meet for the Master's use, and pre- 
pared unto every good work (ii. 21). That is, they 
are to be kept clean; they are not to be out of reach 
when needed; they are not to be filled with something 
which they were not meant to hold. They are to be 
consecrated, prepared, and ready for use. "Have 
your tools ready," says Charles Kingsley, "and God 
will find your work." 

5. Outriding the storm. The last days were to wit- 
ness an outbreaking of lawlessness and wickedness 
(iii. 1-9). Those who were "reprobate concerning 
the faith" (iii. 18) would become "unto every good 
work reprobate" (Titus i. 16). The two anchors 
which would be able to bear the strain of the storm 
were (1) Faith in God (iii. 2); (2) Faith in God's 
Word (iii. 14-16). Timothy was exhorted to hold to 
the things in which he had been catechised from 
infancy, and which he had proved in his own experi- 
ence. The sacred writings by which his spiritual 
life had been nourished gave evidence of their inspira- 
tion in their spiritual profitableness. The moral value 
of any writing is said to be the true test of its 



The Teachings of the Books 



inspiration. " Every writing God-breathed is profit- 
able for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for 
instruction which is in righteousness" (iii. 16). 
The sacred writings of the Old Testament, to which 
Timothy was to cling stood this test. The fact that 
they were profitable for moral ends was evidence that 
they were from God. 

6. A solemn charge. "I adjure thee, preach the 
word" (iv. i), the pure, unadulterated word, unmixed 
with human opinion or speculation. Preach it with 
holy urgency, being "instant in season, out of sea- 
son"; preach it persuasively, fearlessly, and ten- 
derly, reproving (literally, bringing to the proof), 
rebuking, exhorting, "with all long-suffering and 
teaching" (iv. 2). This maybe said to be Paul's last 
will and testimony to his son Timothy. Fidelity 
to the truth in times of defection demands the highest 
form of courage. 

7. A shout of victory (iv. 6-8). In the presence of 
death Paul was calm and undisturbed. There was no 
break-down in his faith. The ruling principles of his 
life remained unchanged to the last. (1) He was now 
unloosing from the present. "I am already being 
offered — my life is already being poured out as a 
libation upon God's altar. The time of my release, 
the time for the unfastening of the ship preparatory 
to the departure from harbor, has come." Dying 
grace comes when death has to be faced. It is 
easy for the acorn to leave the cup when the time 
for leaving it has come. (2) He had a blessed 
retrospect. Leaning upon his battered shield, Paul 
looks back upon the scene of his conflict, exclaiming, 
"I have fought the good fight." He speaks of the 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 233 

conflict as virtually over. "I have fought the bat- 
tle out, the struggle is behind me." There is no 
tinge of boastfulness in his words. He does not 
say, "I have fought a good fight, I have been 
a good fighter, I have acquitted myself well in the 
conflict of life." Such a sentiment is utterly for- 
eign to the spirit of the apostle. What he says is, "I 
have fought the good fight, the good fight of faith 
which all Christians wage. I have fought life's battle 
in the Christian way." He says further, "I have 
finished the course, I have gone round the prescribed 
course which all Christians have to run." "I have 
kept the faith," the faith which is the common heritage 
of all saints. There is no claim to special merit. Paul 
takes his stand upon the rock of a common Christian 
experience. (3) A glorious prospect. An enchanting 
vision broke upon his sight. "Henceforth there is laid 
up for me the crown of righteousness." (a) Before 
him was the highest reward, "the crown of righteous- 
ness" ; not so much the crown righteously given, as the 
crown which consists of righteousness, (b) The high- 
est reward was to be given by the highest judge, "which 
the Lord the righteous judge shall give to me." 
(c) It was to be given upon the greatest occasion "at 
that day" — the day when I stand in the presence of 
the Lord, (d) It was to be given to him in common 
with all the faithful, "and not only to me," he says, 
"but also to all them that have loved His appearing." 
Those who participate in the same spiritual experi- 
ence are to share in the same spiritual reward. 

8. A touch of the human. "The cloak which I left 
at Troas with Carpus, bring when' thou comest, and 
the books, especially the parchments" (iv. 13). Paul 



234 The Teachings of the Books 



showed his interest in life in the presence of death. 
His wants were threefold: (i) Physical. He cared 
for the body; and now that winter was coming on, 
he felt the need of the warm, traveling cloak which 
he had left with his friend at Troas. (2) Social. 
"When thou comest. " Paul longed for fellowship; 
he longed in his solitude when summer friends were 
fleeing, for the touch of a friendly hand. (3) Intel- 
lectual and spiritual. "The books, especially the 
parchments." The parchments were evidently some 
valued treasure trove. Whatever was left behind, 
they must not be forgotten. The things of the spirit- 
life were of supreme value. A man's true character 
is seen by his scale of values. 

9. In God's hands (iv. 16-18). (1) Toward those 
who injured him he cherished no feeling of personal 
revenge. "Alexander, the coppersmith, did me much 
evil; the Lord will render to him according to his 
works" (iv. 4). Not "the Lord reward him," as in 
the Authorized Version, but "the Lord will reward 
him." With this mischief-maker the Lord would deal 
justly, and in His hands he could safely leave him. 
(2) When at his first trial before Caesar his friends 
deserted him, the Lord stood by him, giving him 
power (iv. 17). The grace that had availed in that 
trying hour would still avail. (3) Faith in future 
deliverance was founded upon the experience of the 
past. The Lord who has delivered, will deliver. 
Compare iii. 11 with iv. 18. (4) Heaven anticipated. 
"The Lord will save me unto His heavenly kingdom" 
(iv. 18). Through God's assisting grace the goal of 
life would be surely and swiftly reached. Heaven 
comes at last to every storm-tossed saint. 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 235 



TITUS 

When Paul and Titus visited Crete together Titus 
was left behind in charge of the churches of that 
island. He found himself in a hard field. The Cret- 
ans had a bad name, and they apparently lived up to 
it. Their character as sketched by the poet Epi- 
menides, whom Paul designates "a prophet of their 
own," is that of an untruthful and sensual people. 
And Paul adds "this testimony is true." Their 
vices had become ingrained into their national 
character, and were therefore difficult to eradicate. 
Paul, knowing the poor material with which Titus had 
to work, shows him how to make the most of it. At 
the time that he wrote he was about to recall him, 
and send Artemas or Tychicus in his place, so that 
what he could do in the way of giving the finishing 
touches to his work had to be done quickly. 

The work of Titus, which may be taken as the 
type of the work of the true Christian leader, was: 

1. A constructive work. Unlike Timothy, who was 
mild and timid, Titus was bold and aggressive. He 
was a man of robust character, a man of great prac- 
tical efficiency. Upon his strong arm Paul leaned in 
times of emergency. Because of these very qualities 
he had been sent to this difficult post. "For this 
cause," says Paul, "I left thee in Crete that thou 
shouldst set in order the things that were wanting" 
(i. 5). In point of importance the first thing to be 
done was the appointing of "elders in every city." 
Good officers are necessary to the efficiency of the 
Church. Paul, in describing the kind of men to be 
selected, shows first what they ought not to be, then 



236 The Teachings of the Books 



what they ought to be (i. 6-9). The standard is cer- 
tainly high. 

2. A work of doctrinal instruction. This is the 
foundation of the whole. Paul, who styles himself an 
apostle "according to the faith of God's elect, and 
the knowledge of the truth which is according to god- 
liness" (i. 1) exhorts Titus, "the child after a common 
faith" (i. 4), to see to it that those under his charge 
were "healthy in the faith" (i. 13), and that the 
elders held "to the faithful word which is according 
to the teaching," that they might "be able both to 
exhort in the healthful teaching, and to convict the 
gainsayers" (i. 9). Fidelity to "the doctrine of God" 
(ii. 10) is essential to the usefulness of the Church. 

3. A work of repression. There were "many unruly 
men" (i. 10), disturbers of the peace of the Church, 
destroyers of homes (i. 11); self-seeking men who 
pandered to fleshly indulgence, "teaching things which 
they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake" (i. 11). 
These evil workers were to be repressed with a 
strong hand. Their mouths were to be stopped 
(i. 11); they were to be reproved sharply (i. 13), and 
with "all authority" (ii. 15). The presence of such 
vile men in the Church speaks volumes for the moral 
condition of the times. But to this general descrip- 
tion there must have been many notable exceptions, 
or where could Titus have found suitable timber for 
elders? 

4. A work of adornment. The spiritual edifice was 
not only to be strong, but beautiful. "Strength and 
beauty are in his sanctuary." Bond-servants were to 
be well pleasing to their masters in all things. By 



First and Second Timothy and Titus 237 



their ''good fidelity" they were to "adorn the doc- 
trine of God our Saviour in all things" (ii. 10). Con- 
sistency of life makes religion attractive. Those who 
manifest the beauty of holiness commend the doc- 
trines which they exemplify. 

5. A work of home-building. The relationships of 
life afford opportunities for the exercise of Christian 
graces. When home virtues flourish, the Church will 
flourish. Consecrated hearthstones are the strongest 
foundations of the Church. The aged men and aged 
women; the younger men and the younger women; 
and the slaves in the household are all in turn exhorted 
to godly living (ii. 1-8). 

In a passage of great warmth and beauty the true 
motive to domestic purity is dwelt upon. (See 
ii. 11-14. ) (1) Reference is here made to what the 
grace of God has brought. It has brought "salva- 
tion to all men." (2) To what the grace of God 
leads. It leads to sober, righteous, and godly living. 
(3) To the appearing of the grace of God as being 
followed by the appearing of His glory. (4) To the 
double end which these two appearings unite in secur- 
ing — the release or cutting loose from all iniquity, the 
purifying unto Christ of a people peculiarly his own; a 
people for his own possession, zealous not of great 
works, but of good works. 

6. A work of social reconstruction. (1) Cultivating 
respect for authority, that there may be "subjection 
to rulers" (iii. 1). Respect for law and order is 
essential to social well-being. (2) Awakening a 
right principle of social action, so that instead of 
"living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one 



238 The Teachings of the Books 



another" (iii. 3), they shall engage in "honest occu- 
pations" (iii. 8) "for necessary wants" (iii. 14). In 
this way the social ideal is to be attained. 

7. A work of persofial regeneration. This is the 
source and spring of all possible improvement. "The 
reformation of the soul is the soul of all reformation" 
(Horace Bushnell). Christianity works from within \ 
outward. It makes the fruit good by making the tree 
good; it cleanses the stream by cleansing the fountain 
from which it flows. (1) Salvation is not self-origi- 
nated. We are saved by the mercy of God our Saviour, 
and not by works in the sphere of righteousness 
"which we did ourselves" (iii. 5). (2) Salvation is 
"through the laver of regeneration, and through the 
renewing of the Holy Spirit" — the laver of regenera- 
tion referring in all probability to the receptacle con- 
taining the water of baptism, and the Holy Spirit 
being without doubt the divine agent by whose 
cooperation the baptismal act is made efficacious 
(iii. 5). It is the result of the operation of a divine 
power. (3) The regenerating Spirit is poured upon 
men richly "through Jesus Christ our Saviour" 
(iii. 6). (4) Regeneration leads to reformation. The 
new heart produces new works. The renewed soul 
is "ready unto every good work" (iii. 1). He is 
"careful to maintain good works" iii. 8, 14) — that 
is, fair or beautiful works. Good works are the nec- 
essary outcome of faith. 



THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON 



This epistle to Philemon is the most private and 
personal of all the letters of the apostle. It is a mere 
pendant to the Epistle to the Colossians, being ad- 
dressed to a member of that church. 

The circumstance which called it forth was 
this: One of the slaves of Philemon, Onesimus by 
name, had committed an act of crime — probably he 
had stolen some of his master's property — and had 
run away. In course of time he drifted to Rome, 
where he fell in with the apostle, and was converted. 
He attached himself to his benefactor, and became 
serviceable to him in many ways. According to 
Roman law he was still the property of Philemon ; so, 
much as Paul would like to have retained him, he 
returns him to his master, sending with him this letter, 
the object of which was to lead Philemon to receive 
him back in the spirit of Christian forgiveness and of 
fraternal regard (v. 16). 

This epistle reveals clearly the native courtesy and 
politeness of Paul, as well as the wealth of his affection 
for those about him. He was not only a profound 
thinker and writer; he was an ideal gentleman. By 
this letter a blow was struck at slavery, not by 
assaulting it as an institution, but by the recognition of 
the equal brotherhood of all men in the gospel of the 
Son of God. Class distinctions are not leveled by 

239 



240 The Teachings of the Books 



the gospel, but they cease to be walls of caste sep- 
aration. In Christ there is neither bond nor free, 
but in Him all are one. 

The briefest of Paul's extant epistles has been 
called "an idyl of domestic life." The dramatis 
personce. are : 

1. Philemon, a leading member of the Church at 
Colossae, at whose house the church assembled 
(vv. 1, 2). 

2. Apphia, "the sister," probably the wife of 
Philemon (v. 2), and helper with him in the gospel. 

3. Archippus, commonly supposed to be the son of 
Philemon and Apphia (v. 2); a helper with them in 
the work, a prominent member of the church, pre- 
sumably a deacon or presbyter (Col. iv. 17). 

4. Onesimus, a slave of Philemon, who absconded 
and fled to Rome, where he was discovered by Paul 
and converted to Christ. He was sent back to his 
master, bearing this letter (v. 12). 

5. Epaphras, an evangelist, and perhaps the 
founder of the Church in Colossse (v. 23). He was 
with Paul in Rome at the time when Paul gave asy- 
lum to Onesimus. On his return to Colossse he took 
back the runaway slave to his master. 

6. Minor characters, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, 
Luke, followers of Paul, who join with him in his 
salutation to Philemon, his family, and the church in 
his house. Most, if not all of these earnest Christian 
workers had probably a hand in the reclamation of 
Onesimus. 



The Epistle to Philemon 241 



SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

Into this brief note, saved from a large correspond- 
ence, how much that is spiritually suggestive has been 
packed. 

1. It affords us a glimpse into one of the earliest Chris- 
tian homes. An entire household are united together in 
Christian fellowship and service. Philemon was a 
convert of Paul (v. 19). From the circumstance of 
his owning slaves we infer that he was a man of opu- 
lence. Paul refers to him as his "fellow-worker"; to 
Apphia, his wife, as his "sister" in Christ; and to 
Archipus, his son, as his "fellow-soldier" (vv. 1, 2). 
Under the roof-tree of this Christian family the 
Church in Colossse found its meeting-place. Upon 
the hospitality of this family Paul felt that he could 
confidently reckon in the event of his securing his par- 
don and visiting Colossae (v. 22). As showing the 
influence of Christianity upon the home, this short 
letter is of special interest. 

2. // shows the tact of the apostle in dealing with men. 
Every touch is full of delicate considerateness. 
Everything that might awaken prejudice is avoided. 
The right thing is said in the right way. 

To condone the offense of Onesimus was in all 
probability a hard thing for Philemon to do. He 
may not have had any conviction of the wrongful- 
ness of slavery. Like many Christian people in 
the South before the war he may have accepted 
slavery as a social institution founded upon the na- 
ture of things, and thus of divine sanction. How, 
then, could he overlook the grave offense which 
Onesimus had committed? To do so would be to take 



1^1 The Teachings of the Books 



the underpinning out of the whole social structure. 
How did Paul meet the case? By making light of the 
offense of Onesimus? No. But by applying to the 
case a higher law than civil law — namely, the law of 
Christ by which Philemon professed to be governed. 

3. 77 shows the Christian method of dealing with social 
wrongs. Slavery is a great evil. It is an infringe- 
ment of natural rights, and a violation of the princi- 
ple of brotherhood upon which Christianity is based. 
To slavery in every form Christianity is uncompromis- 
ingly opposed. Born in a state of things in which 
slavery had a place, how did it proceed to destroy this 
evil? By direct assault? No; but by indirection. 
It softened evils which it could not at once eradicate. 
It taught slaves to be obedient, masters to be kind 
and considerate. It helped men to serve God and to 
live well with one another in imperfect social condi- 
tions. 

The silence of Paul regarding the sin of slavery 
must not be understood as an indorsement of it. 
Paul was no revolutionist. He did not fulminate 
against the evil of slavery. He did not ask Philemon 
to set Onesimus free. He did not try to abolish the 
institution of slavery, directly and immediately. He 
knew better. A quixotic movement for the abolition 
of slavery would have produced a social earthquake 
in which the infant Church, with all its reformatory 
influences, would have been engulfed. Nor would 
it have brought relief to the slaves themselves. It 
would rather have increased the bitterness of their lot, 
and would have bound their fetters upon them all the 
more tightly. It would have been a Harper's Ferry 
without an Appomattox following it. 



The Epistle to Philemon 243 



Yet Paul well knew that the gospel of love which 
he preached would gradually undermine slavery and 
every other wrong. He trusted to moral means. He 
sought to alter social conditions by altering human 
character. He believed that in the gospel of Christ 
was lodged a moral force sufficient unto the recon- 
struction of society. 

4. The power of pei'sonal influence. (1) As seen 
in the conversion of Onesimus. When Onesimus 
was hiding in Rome it is more than likely that he 
met Epaphras, a presbyter of the church that gath- 
ered for worship in his master's house at Colossas; 
for Epaphras was at this time on a visit to Paul. 
Epaphras must have known Onesimus by sight, and 
when he met him he would naturally inquire into the 
cause of his running away from his master. Onesimus 
happened in Rome at a time when the slaves were 
being harshly treated, and no doubt he was having a 
hard time of it. He was, therefore, just in the mood 
to respond to a touch of sympathy. Epaphras took 
him along with him to Paul's lodging, with the result 
that under the influence of those two Christian men 
he was won to Christ. (2) As seen in the nature of 
Paul's plea to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. 
There is no assumption of official authority. It is 
a brother pleading with a brother. No advantage 
is taken of the privileges of intimate friendship. 
What Philemon might do was to be done freely, 
and not by constraint (v. 14). Nor did Paul tres- 
pass unduly upon Philemon's generosity. "If he 
has defrauded you, put that to my account" (v. 18). 
There is even in his plea a touch of playfulness. 
The name Onesimus, which means "profitable," had 



244 The Teachings of the Books 

become a sad misnomer; so Paul says " Onesimus, 
who was in time past unprofitable, but now profitable 
to me and thee" (v. n). Then he adds, "Yea, 
brother, let me be profited by thee in the Lord" 
(v. 20). Be thou my true Onesimus. What a broth- 
erly plea! 

5. We see the socializing power of the religion of 
Christ. Master and slave were united in one fellow- 
ship. At the table of their common Lord they were 
known as brethren, and not as bond and free. No 
color line was known. The Phrygian slave Onesi- 
mus, was equal before the Lord with the noblest 
Roman patrician. Slaves were even permitted to 
occupy the highest offices in the Church. Thus within 
the Church were planted the seeds of a true socialism, 
a socialism which if it did not lead to an obliteration 
of social distinctions, led to the recognition of moral 
worth as the basis of that ideal social union after 
which the world has always been striving. 



THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 



The uniqueness of this book lies in the fact that it 
is the only document of the New Testament which 
constitutes a formal and systematic defense of Chris- 
tianity. Certain of Paul's epistles contain apologetic 
elements, but the sole purpose of this epistle appears 
to be the vindication of the gospel against objections 
which were sure to arise in thoughtful Jewish minds. 
It has the distinction of being the first Christian 
apologetic. 

HISTORICAL SETTING 

The earliest form in which the title to this book 
appears is, ''To the Hebrews." It was addressed, 
not to the Hebrew race, but to Hebrew Christians, 
and in particular to Hebrew Christians who were in 
danger of drifting back into the legalism of the older 
faith from which they had been delivered.* These 
Hebrew Christians were assailed by disquieting 
suggestions regarding the wisdom of the change which 
they had made. The faith which they had renounced 
reached back into an illustrious past, bright with the 
glories of prophet and sage, whereas Christianity was 
a novelty, a thing of yesterday, with no historic mem- 

*The contention that this book was intended for Gentile rather than for 
Jewish readers is not convincing, although urged by able scholars like von 
Soden and Pfleiderer. The reference to '"the fathers" (i. i) and to "the seed 
of Abraham " (ii. 16) are among the clear hints that the writer had Jewish 
readers in mind. 



245 



246 



The Teachings of the Books 



ories nor ancestral sanctions. They were also 
embarrassed by the fact that the founder of the new 
faith had passed through a career of humiliation and 
reproach, and had at last met an ignominious death. 
This fact touched Jewish pride at a sensitive spot, for 
the cross of Christ was to the Jews a stumbling block. 
They were still further influenced by the consideration 
that the new faith, unlike Judaism, possessed no 
elaborate and gorgeous ritual with which to impress 
the imagination. On its ceremonial side Christianity 
seemed bare and unattractive in comparison with 
Judaism. For these reasons the danger of apostasy 
was great. Now, it was to a church made up largely 
of Jewish Christians — a church from whose member- 
ship some had already lapsed into Judaism — that this 
letter was addressed. That it was written to some 
particular church or community of Hebrew Christians, 
and not to the broad circle of Hebrew Christians 
throughout the world, is evident from references of a 
personal character in the epistle itself.* At the same 
time the arguments urged were such as to meet the 
needs of similar believers everywhere and to give it 
an encyclical value. To what particular body of be- 
lievers it was addressed we have no means of know- 
ing. Upon this question the work itself does not 
contain the most distant hint. Speculation has been 
rife, but with the data at present at command no cer- 
tainty can be reached. 

* Such, for example, as the words of rebuke in v. 11, of command in vi. q, 10; 
reference to their immunity from severe persecution xii. 4; the allusion to 
their former teachers xiii. 7; the request for their prayers, and the hope of 
the writer to be restored to them, xiii. 18, 19; the statement regarding the 
release of Timothy, who must have been known both to the writer and to his 
readers, xiii. 27; and the salutation of the Italian believers which is coupled 
with that of the writer, xiii. 24. 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 



247 



AUTHORSHIP 

The question of authorship is shrouded in an 
obscurity equally deep. "The truth on this matter," 
says Origen, *'is known to God alone." One tradi- 
tion, floating down by way of Africa, ascribes its 
authorship to Barnabas; another, by way of Egypt, 
ascribes it to Paul. This latter tradition, which 
received a well-nigh unquestioned acceptance in 
the earlier centuries, has been perpetuated in the 
title affixed to the epistle by the King James trans- 
lators and by the Revisers of 1881 ; but among recent 
scholars there is an almost unanimous consensus 
of opinion that the Pauline authorship must be 
abandoned. The reasons for this conclusion appear 
upon a careful comparison of the book with the un- 
questioned writings of the apostle. It is true that 
there are certain superficial resemblances to Paul's 
work, but these signify little more than a possible 
acquaintance of the author with some of the Pauline 
documents, notably the epistle to the Romans. They 
also show a sympathy with his point of view, amount- 
ing perhaps to a desire to carry the message of the 
apostle into a circle of Jewish Christians, who were 
unlikely to accept at first hand the teachings of the 
apostle to the Gentiles. That the writer shared the 
views of Paul in many particulars is too obvious to be 
called in question. He is in substantial agreement 
with him in all his doctrinal contentions. So close is 
this agreement that some have maintained that if Paul 
was not the actual writer of this epistle, it was written 
under his inspiration, if not under his direct supervi- 
sion. There are, however, certain marked features 



248 The Teachings of the Books 



which differentiate this epistle from the writings of 
Paul. Its ground plan is different from that to which 
the epistles of Paul — probably without design on his 
part — conform. The author plunges at once into the 
heart of his theme and mingles apologetic and horta- 
tory material in a manner quite foreign to the apostle. 
His style, too, is different from the rapid, abrupt, and 
impassioned style of Paul. It is calm, measured, 
stately, rhythmical. With a sure oratorical instinct, 
words are chosen for their euphony of sound, as well 
as for their definiteness of expression. The general 
effect is that of the even flow of a broad, majestic river. 

STANDPOINT OCCUPIED 

There is also a marked difference from Paul in 
the theological standpoint which is occupied. A 
totally fresh view of Christianity is given, especially 
with regard to its relation to Judaism. The attitude 
of this book toward the ceremonial law and the temple 
worship is altogether a sympathetic one. Jewish 
questions are discussed in a conciliatory spirit. The 
polemical temper is absent. The tone is apologetic. 
The law is shown to have been good in its place; it 
marked a stage in the divine plan for the spiritual 
education of the race. In God's method of instruc- 
tion there is continuity; one lesson follows another 
according to a system of gradation. But the law, 
while filling a necessary place, was imperfect and 
transitory. It was not sufficient for spiritual blessing. 
It was only a shadow of the ideal and abiding. Hence it 
was deposed from its place of preeminence, and was sup- 
planted by the gospel. The superiority of the gospel 
to the law, therefore, becomes the theme of the book. 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 249 



SOURCES 

In taking still further inventory of the ideas pre- 
sented by this epistle, we discover many traces of the 
Alexandrian mode of thought. At this time Alexan- 
dria was one of the world's great thought centers. It 
was the meeting-place of Greek culture and Hebrew 
faith. Under the shadow of its great university and 
library there had grown up a type of Jewish thought 
more friendly to Greek culture than that which existed 
in Jerusalem under the conservative influence of 
Pharisaism. Of this Hellenistic cult, with its dream 
of favorably influencing the Gentile world toward the 
Jewish faith, Philo was the most conspicuous repre- 
sentative. He belonged to a priestly family, and 
occupied a high social position, being brother to 
Alexander the alabarch, whose immense wealth had 
helped to beautify the temple. He devoted himself 
to philosophy for the purpose of vindicating Hebrew 
history at the bar of Greek thought, realizing that 
the Jewish religion, with its insistence upon circumci- 
sion and its endless scruples regarding such things as 
food and dress, was in danger of being brought into 
ridicule. In his interpretation of the Jewish Scrip- 
tures, which had recently been translated into Greek 
for the great library, he followed the analogical 
method. The central idea of his system was the doc- 
trine of the Logos. The Logos was the revealer of 
God, His agent in creation and providence; under 
him were subordinate agencies, designated the logoi, 
corresponding to the angels of the Old Testament, or 
to the natural forces of the Greek philosophy. This 
amalgam of Greek and Hebrew thought met with wide 



250 The Teachings of the Books 



acceptance, especially in Jewish circles outside of 
Palestine. For more than two centuries it was propa- 
gated with missionary zeal, and from it sprung up a 
vocabulary which became current in certain parts of 
the Christian Church. That this vocabulary was 
made the vehicle of ideas quite different from those 
of the Alexandrine school is seen from the use which 
is made of it in the prologue to the fourth gospel, 
where the thought moves upon levels far above those 
of Philo. The frequent recurrence in this epistle of 
the thoughts and words of Philo,* which were in the 
air, has led many to conclude that the writer must 
have been a pupil of that famous Jewish teacher; but 
this is an unwarranted conclusion, f This feature of 
the epistle tends, however, to prove that Paul could 
not have been its author, inasmuch as his mind re- 
flected the spirit and methods of the Jewish schools 
prevalent in the conservative atmosphere of Jerusa- 
lem, rather than that of the Diaspora, with its center 
of culture at Alexandria. 

All these considerations have a bearing upon the 
question of authorship, and appear to lend support to 
the view of Luther, that Apollos was in all probability 
the author. Apollos was an Alexandrine Jew; he 
was learned and eloquent; he was mighty in the Scrip- 
tures; he was also intimately associated with St. Paul, 
by whose molding influence his ideas of Christianity 

* Among the marks of this school of thought are the use of parable and 
allegory: quotation from the Alexandrine version of the Hebrew Scriptures; 
the employment of the Philonian argument that the silences of Scripture are 
as significant and authoritative as its direct statements. Of this latter mark 
there is an instance in the mention of the priest-king Melchizedek* who, 
because his father or mother are not mentioned in Gen. xiv. 19, is assumed to 
have neither. 

t "There is nothing to prove conscious borrowing, and it is probable that 
the resemblances are due to the general conditions of religious culture among 
the Jews." (Introduction to Philo Jud., p. 12— quoted by Professor Bruce; 
Hebrews, p. 167.) 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 251 



must have been more or less shaped. Moreover, he 
was a man of marked modesty, and it would be 
natural for him to hide behind his work. 

TIME OF WRITING 

The date of the book can be judged only approx- 
imately. The reference in ix. 8 to the first tabernacle 
as "yet standing," seems to import that the temple 
had not yet been destroyed, and that the Jewish system 
of worship was still extant. It was, however, on the 
eve of vanishing away, and the very point and pur- 
pose of the book is to show that although that ven- 
erated system was doomed to speedy destruction, the 
Hebrew Christians had no reason to be dismayed, 
because it was the plan of God that it was to pass 
away that it might be succeeded by something bet- 
ter — to-wit, by that which is spiritual and eternal. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

This epistle has for its subject the same great 
event which is set forth in the Book of Revelation — 
viz., the passing away of the old dispensation and the 
coming in of the new; but whereas in Revelation that 
stupendous change is described dramatically, in 
Hebrews it is described from a doctrinal point of 
view. The aim of the epistle is, however, intensely 
practical. Doctrine is used to give enforcement to 
duty. The writer characterizes his message as "a 
word of exhortation" (xiii. 22). To those who were 
standing on the edge of a great catastrophe, and who 
already felt the ground giving way beneath their feet, 
a word of heartening was sorely needed. They were 



252 The Teachings of the Books 



assured that if the old order was breaking~up, a new 
order was coming; if the Jewish age then current was 
waxing old and was ready to perish, the Christian 
age was about to dawn. The death throes of the old 
would be followed by the birth pangs of the new. 
"The age to come," or more literally, "the age about 
to come," "whereof," says our author, "we speak" 
(ii. 5), was to be one of transcendent glory. It was 
to mark the beginning of an era of spiritual power. 
Its introduction was to be contemporaneous with the 
coming of the Lord. And the coming of the Lord 
being imminent, the coming age was imminent also. 
And L because the new order was about to be brought 
in, the Hebrew Christians, who are here specially 
addressed — and upon whom the very possibility of the 
overthrow of the ancient Jewish system must have had 
the effect of a premonitory earthquake shock in 
destroying their confidence in the stability of things 
terrestrial — were enjoined to lift up their heads with 
joy. "For yet a very little while, He that cometh 
shall come and shall not tarry" (x. 37). The argu- 
ment used is this: The great day of the Lord is 
approaching; let His suffering saints be hopeful. 
The presence of the Lord is near; let His servants be 
faithful. The day of judgment is impending; let the 
rebellious be warned. "To-day if ye will hear His 
voice, harden not your hearts," is the constant 
refrain of this epistle. 

1. The revelation of God to man is brought to fulfill- 
ment in Christ. "God, having of old time spoken unto 
the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and 
in divers manners, hath in the end of these days 
spoken to us in His Son," are the opening words of 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 253 

this epistle. The revelation of God to man was grad- 
ual. It was not given, it could not be received, all at 
once. In old time God spake to the ancestors of 
these Jewish Christians, "in the prophets," and hence 
through them; His word was inspoken before it was 
outspoken; it was an inward illumination before it 
became an outward light. It was given "in divers 
portions," "line upon line, precept upon precept, here 
a little and there much." It was given in a frag- 
mentary way "in divers modes" or forms; in visions, 
in dreams, in symbols, by the mediumship of angels, 
by direct communication. But now, "at the end of 
these days" — that is, at the close of the current his- 
toric cycle — God spake "in His Son," or more cor- 
rectly, "in a Son." He spake not in human words, 
but in a human life. Christ is not merely a revelator, 
He is a revelation; He does not merely speak the 
word of God, He is the Word of God. In Him the 
mind and will of God are expressed. 

2. The government of the world is committed to Christ. 
He is "appointed heir of all things" (i. 2). The 
nations are given to Him for His inheritance. His 
power to mold the future is proved by His power to 
mold the past. Through Him God "made the ages" 
(i. 2). He has always been the controlling power in 
the world's history. In the new age about to dawn 
He was to get a firmer hold upon the world than ever 
before. He was to be its acknowledged sovereign. 
After making "purification for sins," he was to "sit 
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," 
wielding the scepter of righteousness as the scepter 
of His kingdom, and uniting angelic and earthly 
agencies in the accomplishment of His redeeming pur- 



The Teachings of the Books 



pose (i. 7, 8). In this new age, which is under the 
sole authority of Christ, and in which His sovereign 
will is to be realized, the brightest dream of social 
reform will become a concrete reality. It may have 
to come through toil and tears and blood, but come 
it will. For He must reign until He hath "put all 
things in subjection under His feet" (ii. 8). 

3. The superiority of Christ is the ground of His 
supremacy. (1) He is superior to prophets; the mes- 
sage of a Son being of more value than any prophetic 
utterance (i. 1). (2) He is superior to angels. He is 
higher than they in nature (i. 4). He is higher in 
dignity and power. They are servants, He is king (i. 8). 
He is the object of angelic worship (i. 6). Angels bow 
before His footstool, waiting to obey His behests 
(i. 13, 14). And yet, "for a little while He was made 
lower than the angels" that He might bring redemp- 
tion to the race (ii. 7). (3) He is siperior to Afoses, 
by whom the law was ministered. And Moses to the 
Jew was the greatest of men. He stood as the repre- 
sentative of the highest religious system that had as 
yet been given to the world. The one whose great- 
ness transcended that of Moses must be more than 
man. To show that the superiority of Jesus was not 
a thing of official rank, but a thing of elevation of 
character, it is stated that while Moses was faithful 
over God's house as a servant, Christ was faithful as 
a Son (iii. 1-6). (4) He is superior to Joshua, the de- 
liverer of Israel, who could lead his people into the 
land of promise, but could not give them rest in it. 
Jesus brings His people into the true Sabbatic rest 
(iv. 9). And into that rest He will yet bring this 
Weary, heavy-laden world. (5) He is siiperior to Aaron } 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 255 



the founder of a priestly line which for centuries 
mediated between Jehovah and His people, Israel. 
He is above Aaron, because He is a heavenly, not an 
earthly priest ; because His priesthood is not merely 
for a short lifetime, but forever; and because it con- 
fers benefits incalculably greater than those con- 
ferred by the priesthood of Aaron. (6) He is 
superior to Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest 
of the most high God, who was idealized by the 
Jews because he combined the kingly and priestly 
functions. The reference to Melchizedek is obscure. 
All that pertains to His person has been merged 
into His symbolic character. He stands for what is 
highest and purest and most abiding in the earthly 
priesthood. But even the mysterious Melchizedek 
must yield to Christ. For what is He but a dim 
type of that of which Christ is the true and glorious 
archetype? 

4. The new age which the coming of Christ introduces 
is an improvement upon the old. In other words, Chris- 
tianity is an improvement upon Judaism. 

The religious development here described agrees 
with the principle of evolution by which an increasing 
purpose of redemption is seen to run through the 
ages. In transition there is progress. The law is 
displaced by the gospel, the offering of beasts by the 
offering of self, the priesthood of Aaron by the priest- 
hood of Christ, the Passover by the Lord's Supper, 
a gorgeous temple ritual by the simple worship of 
the Church, a ceremonial religion by one that is 
spiritual and practical. 

One of the key-words in this epistle is the word 
"better." The new age gives (1) "A better hope" 



256 The Teachings of the Books 



(vii. 19), a hope that holds out something better than 
a material Canaan, or a sensuous heaven. (2) "A 
better covenant" (viii. 6), one that cannot be an- 
nulled. (3) "Better promises" (viii. 6), upon which 
the better covenant is established. (4) "A better and 
more perfect tabernacle" (ix. 11), one that is spiritual 
and eternal. (5) "Better sacrifices" (ix. 23), not 
figures of the reality, but the reality itself. (6) "A 
better possession, and an abiding one" (x. 34 R. V.). 
(7) "A better country" (xi. 10), that is, a country 
better than Canaan. (8) "A better resurrection" 
(xi. 35), not a resuscitation — not a calling back to the 
old life, as in the case of the son of the Shunamite, 
but the passing out of the old life into one of supernal 
glory. (9) "Some better thing" (xi. 40). That better 
thing which was withheld from the Old Testament 
saints being the promise of the heavenly inheritance. 
Promises they had, but not the promise. Canaan was 
not heaven. The promise, however, which is given 
to us has now been fulfilled to them. They have 
entered upon that at the end which we enter upon at 
the beginning. Our inheritance and theirs is one, so 
that they apart from us, or we apart from them, are 
not made perfect (xi. 40). 

And this is ever God's way. In the work of 
redemption there is unity and continuity. The new 
grows out of the old. Some better thing is always 
kept in reserve for the coming ages. The best wine 
is kept until the last of the feast. We ask, Can God 
excel this? Can He give a brighter gem, a sweeter 
cup? The manifestations of His power and grace are 
ever upon an ascending scale. He rises higher and 
higher, For brass He gives gold, and for iron silver. 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 257 



and for wood brass, and for stones iron (Isa. lxi. 17). 
God is behind all progress. It is His hand that pro- 
vides the better things for us. Men attribute to evo- 
lution what they ought to attribute to God. For 
what is evolution but one of the ascertained methods 
according to which God works? In this new moral 
evolution not only is the good displaced by the better, 
the temporary is displaced by the eternal. In the 
pregnant words of Professor Bruce, "by everything 
connected with Christianity eternity is predicated. 
The salvation it provides is eternal, its priesthood is 
forever, the High Priest of humanity possesses an 
endless life, and the offering up of Himself through 
the eternal Spirit has obtained eternal redemption for 
man. Those who believe in Him have the promise of 
an eternal inheritance. The new covenant is ever- 
lasting. "* 

Progress in God's plan calls for progress in the 
individual Christian. "Let us cease," says our 
author, "to speak of the first principles of Christ, and 
press on unto perfection" (vi. 1). Some things are to 
be left behind on our onward march. We are to 
grow out of them into something better. We are 
to leave them as the bird leaves the shell, as the 
flower leaves the seed, as the walls leave the founda- 
tion, as the child leaves the alphabet. What need 
have we for the scaffolding when the building is com- 
pleted? The past is useful as a foundation upon 
which to build, the present is useful as a starting 
point from which to "go on unto full growth" (vi. 1 
R. V. marginal reading). 

In this pursuit after perfection we follow a 

*"T/ie Epistle to the Hebrews,'''' p. 17. 



258 The Teachings of the Books 



heavenly ideal. Like Moses, we build our temple 
"according to the pattern shown to us in the mount" 
(viii. 5). The law of correspondence explains the 
relation of heavenly to earthly things. The heavenly 
vision reveals the perfect ideal which we seek to real- 
ize here on the earth. 

5. The high priesthood of Christ is the medium 
through which the transcendent blessings of the new dis- 
pensation are ministered. This is the central thought 
of the epistle. (1) To fulfill His high-priestly office 
Christ became man. "It behoved him in all things 
to be made like unto His brethren, that He might 
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things 
pertaining to God" (ii. 17). He took upon Him 
"the seed of Abraham," identifying Himself with 
man, entering into the race struggle; suffering for 
the sins of those whose nature He wore, and be- 
coming "perfect through suffering," that He as the 
author of salvation might bring many sons unto glory 
(ii. 10). So complete is His identification with man 
that "he that sanctifieth and they who are sanc- 
tified are all of one" (ii. 11) — one lump, one brother- 
hood. Their interests are bound up in one bundle. 
Having community of nature, they have also commun- 
ity of destiny. The ends for which Christ assumed our 
common humanity were: (a) That He might be our 
priestly representative, sympathizing with us, bearing 
us on His heart, and helping us in all our infirmities 
(iv. 15). (b) "That He might bring to nought him 
that had the power of death," and deliver us from 
bondage to the fear of death (ii. 14, 15). (c) That 
He might "make propitiation for the sins of the peo- 
ple" (ii. 17), not in the sense that He might appease 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 



God's wrath on account of sin, but in the sense that 
He might express God's righteous love in covering it 
up, blotting it out, and putting it forever away, (d) 
That he might succor us in temptation. He suffered 
the generic temptations of the race, "being in all 
points tempted like as we are," that out of His own 
experience He might be able to bring us comfort 
and help, (e) That He might open the way to fel- 
lowship with God (iv. 16). 

(2) Our great High Priest is more than man. He has 
qualities that no mere man possesses, (a) He is 
morally perfect. He is not a priest "having infirm- 
ity," but is "holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from 
sinners and made higher than the heavens" (vii. 26). 
(b) He is not hindered from continuing in His priestly 
office by death. Other priests are mortal; He is 
immortal. Other priesthoods are changeable; His is 
unchangeable (vii. 24, 25). (c) His priestly interces- 
sion goes continually on. "He ever liveth to make 
intercession for us" (vii. 25). This describes His 
present activity on our behalf. His connection with 
us is. indissoluble. He is constituted our great High 
Priest, "not after the law of a carnal commandment, 
but after the power of an endless life" (vii. 19) — a life 
that goes on forever. 

(3) The perfect High Priest offers a perfect sacrifice. 
The idea that Christ is both priest and victim is 
peculiar to this writer. Paul speaks of Christ's sacri- 
fice, but not of His priestly act in offering it. (a) The 
sacrifice of Christ is unique. It is a new kind of sac- 
rifice, not an outward offering, but the offering of 
self. Other priests offered something, Christ offered 
Himself (vii. 27). (b) It is complete, and hence it 



2 6o 



The Teachings of the Books 



did not require to be repeated (x. 14). (c) Its virtue 
lies in the spirit in which it was offered. It was 
offered through an eternal or timeless spirit (ix. 14).* 
(d) It is effectual to secure the ends for which 
it was offered. It brings to man complete and 
"eternal redemption" (ix. 12). It obtains for him 
forgiveness and cleansing. It "puts away sin" 
(ix. 25); disannuls it, blots it out of existence. Its 
purifying power goes to the heart, "cleansing the con- 
science from dead works to serve the living God" 
(ix. 14). This the Jewish sacrifices could not do. 
There were offenses for which they made no provi- 
sion; such for example, were sins of murder, idolatry, 
and adultery. These were capital offenses. For them 
no atonement was made, nor could the offender, 
however penitent, escape from their penalty. Where 
the Jewish sacrifice failed the sacrifice of Christ suc- 
ceeds. It takes away sin's stain; it breaks sin's 
power, delivering man completely from its curse and 
dominion.f 

6. The new age is administered by Christ under a new 
covenant. Christians are not heirs of the old cove- 
nant which at the time when the epistle was written 
was becoming old and waxing aged, and was nigh 
unto vanishing away and which has since been abol- 
ished (viii. 13). They are possessors of a new cove- 

* The expression, "an eternal spirit" may refer to Christ's essential or 
eternal spirit; or it may refer to the Holy Spirit which was given to Him 
"without measure," anointing Him to the work of human redemption and 
upholding Him until it was accomplished. In either case the spiritual quality 
of His sacrifice is the prominent idea. 

tProf. A. B. Bruce points out five aspects under which the death of 
Christ is set forth in this epistle; (a) As coming under the common law of 
mortality (xx. 27). (b) As necessary to the execution of His will bequeathing 
an inheritance (ix. 16). (c) As the climax of a disciplinary process by which 
He was fitted to be the spiritual leader of men (ii. ic). (d) As reversing the 
law that sin and death are necessarily connected; His death being that of a 
sinless man (ii. 14, 15). (e) As a priestly act of sacrifice (x. 14). This is the 
cardinal point. 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 26 i 

nant; a covenant which has placed the world upon 
a new footing of grace and privilege; a covenant 
adapted to the new conditions of the Christian age. 
What the old covenant expressed in part, the new 
covenant expresses in full. It makes known in a 
broader and deeper sense than ever before the will of 
God to man. The inward spiritual nature of the new 
covenant is set forth under four particulars. (1) It 
is written on the heart, and not on tables of stone, 
which means that it is not arbitrarily imposed, but 
appeals to reason and conscience. (2) It declares 
oneness between God and His people. (3) It gives 
the immediate knowledge of God. (4) It pronounces 
the forgiveness of sin. (See viii. 10-12). 

The word "covenant" has in this epistle a double 
meaning. It denotes both a bond and testament or 
will. As a bond, it involves the blood of sacrifice; 
as a testament or will, it involves the death of the 
testator (ix. 15-17). This double meaning brings be- 
fore us a twofold blessing. As "the surety of a 
better covenant" (vii. 23), sealed and ratified in His 
blood (I. Cor. xi. 25), our great High Priest purifies 
us from guilt and seals us for our inheritance. As 
the testator of the divine will He brings us now 
into possession of the riches of our inheritance, as far 
as we are prepared to receive them, and holds secure 
for us the fullness of eternal glory. 

7. Privileges of the new age. These are called "the 1 
good^ things about to come" (ix. 11). Things, not 
pictures; realities, not shadows (x. 1). These good 
things have now come. They are the heritage of this 
gospel age. What are they? (1) Forgiveness and 
cleansing. The Christ, who at the end of the ages 



262 The Teachings of the Books 



appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself 
(ix. 27), and who entered heaven itself to appear be- 
fore the face of God for us (ix. 24), hath appeared a 
second time apart from sin, to make His salvation 
real unto them who count as a present reality that 
hope, for the fulfillment of which these Hebrew 
Christians waited (ix. 27). His saving, cleansing 
power is now a matter of conscious experience. 
(2) Access to God to all His believers. The middle 
wall of partition has been broken down that Jew and 
Gentile alike may enter into the holy place and offer 
spiritual sacrifices. Every Christian is constituted a 
priest, under Christ his great High Priest, and has 
the right to enter with boldness through the blood of 
Jesus into the holy of holies of the divine presence 
(x. 19). Judaism was a religion of separation. It 
denied to men free access to God. "The grand dis- 
tinctive merit of the Christian religion for the writer 
of this epistle is that it brings man near to God. It 
is a religion of free access and intimate fellowship" 
(Bruce). (3) New power. Christians of that early 
age "tasted the powers of the age to come" (viii. 5). 
They had foretastes of what was coming. They felt 
the first thrills of new hope and inspiration. They 
were not like the Old Testament saints, who "received 
not the promises," but saw them and "greeted them 
from afar" (xi. 13). They had earnests of their 
inheritance. How much more of this power ought 
we to experience who are living in the new age of 
spiritual fullness and completeness? (4) A better 
resurrection''' (xi. 35). Not only a resurrection to a 
better life, but a resurrection better in itself, because 
it implies the instant passing at death from earth to 



The Epistle to the Hebrews 263 



heaven. (5) A new city — the symbol of order and gov- 
ernment. The author says to the Hebrew Christians, 
to whom he sent this letter, "Ye seek the city which is 
about to come" (xiii. 14). Visions of an earthly 
Jerusalem whose glory was to be restored had faded. 
The earthly Jerusalem was about to fall with a crash, 
and the New Jerusalem which was to take its place, 
was about to descend from heaven. To that heavenly 
Jerusalem we in this age are come (xii. 22). (6) A 
kingdom that cannot be shaken. In those dark days, 
when the earth and the heaven trembled, and 
many things which were deemed firm and stable were 
shaken and removed, the kingdom was secure. Noth- 
ing could move it from its base (xii. 28). Unlike 
the kingdoms of the earth, it is an everlasting king- 
dom, the everlasting possession of God's Son, the 
everlasting heritage of God's people. 

8. Duties of the new age. Every privilege has a duty 
annexed to it. The transcendent privileges of the 
new age impose upon men new and greater responsi- 
bilities. (1) The duty of taking hold and keeping hold 
of the great salvation which Christ has purchased and 
provided. There is danger of drifting away from the 
things concerning Christ which have been heard 
(ii. 1), danger of neglecting the great salvation (ii. 3.) 
If Christ be surrendered, there is no possibility of 
redemption. When He is abandoned hope is gone, 
for there remaineth "no more a sacrifice for sins" 
(x. 26). It is not said that there remaineth no sacri- 
fice, but that there remaineth no other sacrifice than 
the divinely provided sacrifice of Calvary. If that 
is renounced, hope there is none. The Esaus who 
sell their heavenly birthright for the world's pottage, 



The Teachings of the Books 



may find when too late that the bartered birthright 
cannot be won back (xii. 17). (2) The duty of culti- 
vating faith. A list is given of ancient worthies who 
were men of spiritual vision, and who lived valiant 
and noble lives through the power of the invisible 
(xi. 1-40). Men of faith are faithful men; men of 
vision are men of practical efficiency. (3) The duty 
of enduring suffering heroically and hopefully. The 
sufferings of the present are chastisements, not pun- 
ishments. Out of them the loving Father seeks to 
bring forth "the peaceable fruits of righteousness" 
(xii. 11). (4) The duty of exercising patience. " Run 
with patience the race set before you," the race which 
begins at the place where you now stand (xii. 1). Let 
the thought of the Lord's sustaining grace inspire you 
with "the patience of hope" in the midst of the 
trials of the present. (5) The duty of laboring to secure 
the promised blessing. The rest is promised ; labor to 
enter into it (iv. 11). The promised land is before 
you; fear lest you come short of it (iv. 1). The 
better day comes not without effort. (6) The duty 
of following Christ fully. "Going forth with Him 
without the camp, bearing his reproach" (xiii. 12), 
ever making Him the model of imitation; not being 
carried away with divers and strange teachings, but 
abiding in Him who is "the same yesterday and to- 
day — yea, and forever" (xiii. 9), and in the midst of 
the wreck of religious systems, and the crash of 
earthly kingdoms "holding fast the confidence of 
faith that it waver not" (xi. 23). Those who trust- 
ingly follow their Lord in the testing day of perse- 
cution will rejoice before Him in the day of His man- 
ifestation. 



THE EPISTLE OF JAMES 



A circular letter addressed to "the twelve tribes of 
the Dispersion" — that is, to the Christian Jews who 
were scattered over every land. The epistle assumes 
that a Christian is an ideal Jew, and that Christianity- 
is the efflorescence of Judaism. James is the repre- 
sentative of Christian Judaism. To him "the gospel 
of Christ was simply the true Judaism — Judaism ful- 
filled and transfigured" (Samuel Cox). 

THE WRITER 

His name was James. Three important characters 
in the New Testament history are known by that 
name: (i) James, the son of Zebedee, one of the apos- 
tles. His mother was Salome, and his brother, John, 
the beloved disciple. He formed one of the trio, 
Peter, James, and John. He was the first of the 
apostles that gained the crown of martyrdom, having 
been beheaded by Herod 44 A. D. (2) James, the 
son of Alphaeus, called "James the Less," or "the 
Little James," in allusion to his stature, and to dis- 
tinguish him from the son of Zebedee. From the fact 
that nothing is said of him in the gospel records, he 
would seem to have been as little in importance as in 
stature. (3) James, the Lord's brother, bishop of the 
Church in Jerusalem, who was undoubtedly the 
author of this epistle. To buttress up the doctrine 

265 



266 The Teachings of the Books 



of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, the Roman Cath- 
olic Church has tried to make it appear that James 
was merely the cousin of Jesus, or His stepbrother. 
But this is torturing words to suit a theory. 

CHARACTER OF JAMES 

1. He was a liberal-conservative in theology. He 
adhered to old forms, was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. 
He never broke away from the temple. But while 
clinging to the old he showed a spirit of toleration 
towards the new. Standing between two extreme par- 
ties in the Church, and being in sympathy with both, 
he helped to unite them. His liberal-mindedness is 
seen in the position which he took in the first Chris- 
tian council at Jerusalem, over which he presided. 
Wise, temperate, self-poised, he did not allow himself 
to be carried away with the passion of the hour, and 
when Peter's fiery speech was in danger of rending the 
Church in twain, it was James who prevented the 
catastrophe. He plead for liberty, and would have no 
unnecessary burdens imposed upon the Gentile con- 
verts. Somewhat narrow in his views, he was broad 
in his sympathies, and that helped him to do justice to 
both sides of every question. 

2. He was rationalistic in spirit. He was slow to 
believe in the claims of Jesus, and withheld his alle- 
giance from Him at first. For a time the chasm 
between them seemed to widen. He stood with the 
world of orthodox Judaism by which Jesus was 
opposed. When Jesus was popular he was silent. 
When disciples were flocking around Him, James 
"did not believe." He was not with Jesus in the last 
days of His passion. He was too much pained and 



The Epistle of James 



267 



embarrassed to know what to do. After His resur- 
rection Jesus "was seen of James," and that interview 
put all his doubts to rest. Henceforth he became a 
loyal follower of Jesus, and by his great influence 
drew the entire household of Jesus after him. The 
faith of such a man is of great value. The evidence 
that satisfied him must have been all-compelling. 

3. Great beauty and purity of life. He was revered 
by the Jews, and because of the sanctity of his char- 
acter earned the title of James the Just. He combined 
Old Testament righteousness with evangelical faith. 
He resembled John the Baptist, or one of the older 
prophets. As a Nazarite he was "holy from the 
womb," and did not drink wine nor eat animal food. 
He lived a life of austerity and self-denial, and was 
said to resemble the ancient saints even in outward 
aspect, wearing a linen ephod, with bare feet, long 
locks, and unshaven head. 

One of his marked characteristics was his spirit of 
devotion. He was said to have prayed constantly in 
the temple for the forgiveness of the people, spend- 
ing whole nights in his devotions, until his knees 
were as hard as a camel's. 

His great influence did not come from his official 
position so much as from his strength of character. 
Paul speaks of him as a "pillar of the Church," a 
tower of strength. And yet outwardly his life seemed 
to be a narrow one, more provincial than cosmopol- 
itan. He stayed at Jerusalem, never traveling on 
evangelistic missions. The feasts to which the peo- 
ple gathered from all parts of the world in the holy 
city gave him, however, a wide opportunity, and 
made his position one of power. His death was 



268 The Teachings of the Books 



tragical. When testifying for Jesus during an out- 
break of fanatical zeal he was thrown from a pinnacle 
of the temple, and afterward was felled by a fuller's 
club. Horror and remorse seized the people when 
they saw what had been done, and the destruction of 
Jerusalem, which occurred seven years afterward, was 
regarded by many as a visitation of God for this 
crime. So died, as he had lived, a faithful "servant 
of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

STRUCTURE AND STYLE 

This epistle is written in pure classical Greek. In 
style it is sharp and incisive, like the writings of the 
Hebrew prophets. It has no opening blessing, no 
closing benediction. The writer, if not a man of wide 
reading, had a thorough acquaintance with the mas- 
terpieces of literature. His spirit was steeped in 
the writings of the Old Testament, from which he fre- 
quently quoted. To the wisdom literature, to which 
his epistle is closely allied, he makes frequent refer- 
ence — namely, six times to Job, ten to Proverbs, five 
to Wisdom, and fifteen to Ecclesiastes. He also 
frequently alludes to the Apochrypha. He was some- 
what akin to the writers of the wisdom literature, in 
the possession of a practical and prudential spirit. 

The date of the epistle has been fixed as early as 
52 A. D. By some it has been regarded as the earliest 
book in the New Testament. The absence of all 
reference in its pages to the Judaistic party shows 
that it was written before the controversy which they 
instigated arose. 



The Epistle of James 



269 



SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

Luther thought lightly of this epistle. He called 
it "an epistle of straw, " because he fancied that it 
did not appeal to the deepest evangelical motives. It 
is an epistle of gold. It inculcates the loftiest moral- 
ity. It is emphatically a message for the present day. 
"The application of this epistle in the region of econ- 
omy is that which alone can save our civilization" 
(R. D. Hitchcock). 

The epistle has an attractive beginning. The 
modesty of the writer is seen in its inscription. James 
does not assume authority; he does not speak of him- 
self as an apostle; he does not refer to his relation- 
ship to our Lord. The simple title which he adopts 
is, "bond-servant of Jesus Christ." To be the bond- 
servant of Jesus Christ was his highest honor. 

The salutation, "my brethren," is attractive. 
James does not assume the attitude of "a high priest 
wearing the golden mitre." He claims community 
of faith and fellowship with those whom he addresses. 
"The Cato among the disciples" has a warm heart. 
Beneath austerity of manner brotherly affection lies 
hidden. Among the things presented in this epistle 
are: 

1. A Christian standard of ethics. The "bond- 
servant of Jesus Christ" writes in his Master's name; 
He lays down his law (ii. 12) ; he looks at things from 
His standpoint (ii. 1); he urges his readers to the 
instant performance of duty because His presence was 
at hand (v. 8). According to James, Christianity is 
the perfect law. His epistle is an echo of the Sermon 
on the Mount, from which it quotes fourteen times. 



270 The Teachings of the Books 



The duty of living according to Christ, the duty of 
conforming to His standard of ethics, is the central 
thought which it sets forth. "It presents essentially 
the teaching of Christ, and hence there is little teach- 
ing about Christ" (Beyschlag). 

2. The Christian view of life's trials (i. 2-4). Trials 
belong to the normal order of things ; they are \ 
included in the scheme of life. No life is free from 
them; hence the Christian is not to be surprised when 
they come to him. He is to consider (1) Their un- 
expectedness. They often come suddenly. We "fall 
into them" as a traveler might fall into a pit. We do 
not always bring them upon ourselves. The sharpest 
reach us through the affections. (2) Their variety. 
They are of "all sorts," literally, "many-colored," or 
variegated. In form different, in essence the same. 
(3) Their purpose. They furnish a needful test of 
faith. They try it as gold is tried in the fire. They 
also develop it by stripping from us the things which 
obscure the vision of the soul. Great faith is gener- 
ally the product of great trial. (4) How are they to 
be met? Sweetly and bravely, hopefully. We are to 
"count it all joy" when we fall into them. This is a 
hard saying. To rejoice in trials for their own sake is 
impossible; we can rejoce in them only in view of 
their purpose and result. 

3. The true wisdom (i. 5-8, iii. 13-18). That is 
the wisdom that is needed for the purpose of 
making proper adjustment to life's trials and duties. 
(1) This wisdom is "from above," and is to be dis- 
tinguished from that which is from below (iii. 17). 
It does not come by inheritance; it is not learned at 
the feet of any earthly teacher. It comes from heaven. 



The Epistle of James 



271 



(2) It is spiritual, and has to do with things in the 
spiritual sphere. The wisdom that is from below, on 
the other hand, is "earthy, sensual, devilish" (iii. 15), 
and has to do exclusively with things of the animal 
life. (3) It is obtained by asking it from God the giver 
(i. 5). How? (1) With unshaken faith that rests in 
God and staggers not at His promise. (2) With a 
single mind, and not with two minds in conflict with 
each other. A double-minded man is like a wind- 
tossed wave. He is the sport of his own divided 
desires. (4) It is given, (a) "To all men" — that is, 
to all men who seek it. (b) "Liberally," — with open 
hand, (c) Graciously — without upbraiding, (d) In- 
directly. It is not poured into the soul as water into 
a vessel. The ability to make practical application of 
knowledge comes by experience; none the less does it 
come from God. 

4. The Christian view of poverty. "Let the brother 
of low degree rejoice in his high estate" (i. 9). These 
words have been called "the beatitude of poverty." 
"Prosperity," says Lord Bacon, "is the blessing of 
the Old Testament, adversity the blessing of the 
New." But poverty is no blessing in itself. It may 
curse or bless; it may lower or exalt. When poverty 
comes from adherence to principle it is a badge of 
honor. Any one who becomes poor for righteousness' 
sake obtains a high degree, being admitted into fel- 
lowship with the suffering Christ. 

5. The Christian view of wealth (i. 9-1 1, v. 1-6). Let 
the rich man rejoice "in that he was made low" — 
rejoice not in humbling providences, but in a humble 
disposition that has learned how to abound and how 
to be abased. A man has no reason to rejoice in 



2J2 The Teachings of the Books 



wealth, if wealth is all that he possesses; but he has 
reason to rejoice in it if he has come to estimate it at 
its real value, and to use it for right ends. The man to 
whom wealth is a blessing recognizes : ( i ) That wealth 
is accidental, and not essential. A true life may be 
lived without it. (2) That wealth has its dangers as 
well as poverty. A full cup is not easily Carried. It 
is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom because 
it is hard to administer wealth in Christ's way. How 
seldom does benevolence keep pace with accumula- 
tion! (3) That wealth is perishable. The rich man 
has little reason to be lifted up when he sees that in 
the full flowering of prosperity a scorching wind may 
wither everything up. The most carefully planned 
projects may fail, and the man who is rich to-day may 
be poor to-morrow. The tenure of wealth is proverb- 
ially uncertain. (4) That wealth may be a curse 
rather than a blessing (v. 1-6). And a curse it is: 
(a) When gotten unjustly; that is, when it represents 
wages "kept back by fraud." If it is coined out of 
the life blood of human souls, it is tainted, corrupted. 
It wiir rust and rot. It will eat as fire the "bloated 
bodies" of those who have wrung it from the hands 
of the poor, (b) When it is put to a selfish and sinful 
use; being used merely for animal gratification. The 
rich people who are using their wealth in this wicked 
way are told to "weep and howl" for the miseries that 
are coming upon them. They are nourishing their 
hearts in a day of slaughter, "like cattle grazing in 
rich pastures on the day they are doomed to bleed." 
(5) That the possession of wealth involves great re- 
sponsibilities, because it brings great opportunities. 
Wealth is often held without a sense of stewardship. 



The Epistle of James 



273 



Of all talents that men possess that of money-making 
is perhaps the least consecrated. 

6. The Christian view of temptation (i. 12-15). 
"When the Xew Testament was written the word temp- 
tation was used in a double sense, as meaning "test," 
and "solicitation to evil." It is now used exclusively 
in the latter sense. The double meaning of the word 
explains the teaching of James. Temptation in the 
form of a test of virtue is from God; temptation to 
sin is not from God. but is from the devil. (1) No 
man is "tempted of God to evil." When God tempts 
any man, as He tempted Abraham, "He tempts him 
not from evil motives to an evil end, but from good 
motives to a good end" (Augustine). He tries him 
that He may make him a better man. (2) Solicita- 
tion to evil comes from within. "Each man is tempted 
when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed" 
(i. 14) — that is, drawn away of his own desires, en- 
ticed with a bait, and dragged a willing prey to land. 
James cuts up by the roots the modern heresy that a 
man's character is determined by heredity and envi- 
ronment. The actual source of temptation he finds 
in man himself. Every man is devil to himself. It 
is through his own desires that the principle of evil 
works. When the prince of this world comes and 
finds much in him that he can work upon, the small- 
est spark may explode the mine. (3) The end of 
those who yield to sinful desires. "The lust when 
it hath conceived beareth sin, and the sin when it is 
full grown bringeth forth death" (i. 15). All sin be- 
gins in desire and ends in death. "The sweetness 
of sin like a bait enticeth men," says Plutarch. 
Bede makes temptation consist of suggestion, delight, 



274 The Teachings of the Books 



consent. The crocodile of evil must be killed in the 
egg of desire. 

7. An exalted view of God (i. 16-18). Nothing is of 
more importance than correct views of God. Error 
here is fatal. Nothing but good is to be ascribed to 
Him. (1) God is the primal fount of goodness. This 
is the central truth of Christianity. He is "the Father 
of lights," the fountain of light and purity. He is to 
the universe what the sun is to our planetary system. 
"Every good gift and every perfect boon is from 
above"; they all descend from heaven like the manna. 
As there is no evil thing that comes from God, there 
is no good thing that does not come from Him. 

(2) The goodness of God is unchanging. "Without 
variableness," having no change in the degree of its 
light; without "shadow of turning" — that is, having 
no shadow such as is caused by the turning of the 
heavenly bodies. His goodness never suffers eclipse. 
It is always at meridian. Perfection cannot change. 

(3) The goodness of God is manifested in the bestow- 
ment of spiritual blessings, (a) The best gift that 
comes from above is a good heart. A good heart is 
of God's begetting, (b) A good heart is brought 
forth by God through the instrumentality of "the 
word of truth." (c) It is given "that we should be a 
kind of first fruits of His creatures. " Regenerated 
souls are the seed from which the future kingdom 
grows. The Hebrew Christians, to whom James wrote, 
although poor and despised, were chosen to be the 
founders of the Church. 

8. The ethics of speech (i. 19-21, iii. 3-12). "Let 
every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to 
wrath. " Let self-restraint be practiced in the control 



The Epistle of James 275 

of the tongue. Man has two ears and one mouth, 
therefore he ought to hear more than he says. 
"Speech is silvern, silence is golden." No one ever 
repented of being silent, many have repented of utter- 
ing hasty, bitter words. (1) The evil (iii. 3-12). The 
tongue is the hardest thing to tame. By human 
power it never can be tamed (iii. 8). It is like the 
bridle which guides the horse, like the helm which 
steers the ship, like the spark which kindles a confla- 
gration in the forest. It is " the world of iniquity 
among the members," defiling the whole body and 
setting on fire "the rolling wheel of life." As giving 
expression to human inconsistency it yields poison and 
health. With it we bless God and curse men. From 
it come sweet water and bitter. Those things ought 
not so to be. The salvation of man is not complete 
until it includes the control of the tongue (iii. 2). 
(2) The root of the evil — vassalage to impulse. 
When passion is uncontrolled the rudder is lost. 
Quick speech kindles anger. The angry man who 
cannot refrain from the swift rejoinder "speaks pon- 
iards, and every word stabs." Hasty and angry 
speech does not lead to the practice or to the fur- 
therance of righteousness. " The wrath of man 
worketh not the righteousness of God" (i. 20). What 
harm has come from religious controversies! Unholy 
passion has often been mistaken for holy zeal, angry 
speech for earnest speech. The fiery breath of 
wrath blights every virtue. (3) The corrective. 
(a) Lay aside all filthiness. Pluck it up and cast it 
away as a noxious weed. Cut off the overflowing 
and outflowing of malignity at the fountain head. (£) 
"Receive the implanted or inborn word, which is able 



276 



The Teachings of the Books 



to save the soul." Receive it with meekness, and it 
will save the soul from barrenness and death (i. 21). 

9. The Christian view of religion (i. 22-27). James 
presents religion from the ethical rather than from the 
dogmatic side. His epistle might be called a manual 
of practical or applied religion, were it not that in so 
far as religion is real it is always practical and applied. 
(1) The importance of right action. "Be ye doers 
of the word, and not hearers only." Hearing should 
result in doing. "He who hears the law and does not 
practice it," says the Jewish proverb, "is like a man 
who plows and sows, but never reaps." James says 
he is like a man who beholds his face in a mirror and 
goes away and forgets how he looked. But the man 
with whom hearing leads to action "looketh into the 
perfect law, the law of liberty," that he may consult 
it; and in that law he continues to walk, "being not 
a hearer that forgetteth, but a doer that worketh, " a 
doer that makes a business of religion. Of such a 
one it is said that he is "blessed," not. in his knowing, 
but "in his doing." (2) A vain and empty religion. 
Where there is an unbridled tongue, where the tongue 
is not held in check by the bridle of self-control, 
religion is a thing of seeming, an empty shell, a shadow 
without the substance. Volubility is no sign of piety. 
(3) True religion. Religion "pure and undefined," 
religion which is clear and unclouded, like a precious 
stone without a flaw, religion which stands the high- 
est test, being accounted right in the sight of God our 
Father, consists in two things, (a) In benevolence to- 
ward man. Not in creeds but in deeds. Its ritual is 
the ritual of active love. It impels its possessor "to 
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction," 



The Epistle of James 



277 



coming into personal touch with them, giving them 
not things only, but self. Love and sympathy are 
more than gold. "Blessed is he that considereth the 
poor." (b) In personal purity. This is the spring of 
all that is good in the outward life. The man who 
would help an evil world must keep an untarnished 
soul. Here, then, is the definition of religion which 
James offers — open-handed charity and personal pur- 
ity. Who can furnish a better? 

10. Christ 's view of man (ii. 1-13). The accusation, 
"My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons," 
may be read as an inquiry, "My brethren, do ye in 
accepting persons hold the faith of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Lord of glory?" (margin R. V.) By 
"the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ" is meant His 
teaching — in this case His doctrine of human brother- 
hood, which is founded upon divine fatherhood. (1) 
Those who hold the faith of Jesus will have regard 
not to the clothes upon a man, but to the man 
in the clothes. They will not give the best seat in 
the synagogue to the "gold-ringed man," and put the 
man in the threadbare coat behind the door (ii. 2, 3). 
They will treat all men as equals. (2) Looking at 
man through Christ's eyes they will not judge heirs of 
the kingdom with evil thoughts. The rich will not 
oppress the poor, dragging them before the judgment 
seats (ii. 5, 6). (3) In all their dealings with their 
fellowmen they will strive to fulfill the royal law, 
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (ii. 8). 
(4) They will strive to act toward others "as men 
that are to be judged by a law of liberty" (ii. 12). 
Brotherly service will always be rendered freely when 



£78 



The Teachings of the Books 



the law of liberty to which we are bound is the gos- 
pel of God's grace. 

11. An ethical view of faith (ii. 14-26). Faith is 
looked upon as an ethical force. It is not the hand of a 
beggar that receives alms, but a spiritual power work- 
ing in the soul for the production of righteousness. 
(1) Faith and works are inseparably connected. Where 
you find the one you find the other. The faith that 
does not bring forth deeds of mercy has no saving 
power (ii. 14-16). (2) Faith without works is dead. 
It is a dead pole stuck in the ground, and not a living, 
fruit-bearing tree. When faith is alone it is dead; 
when it brings forth works it is alive. (3) The power 
of faith comes from its object. Saving faith takes 
hold of a saving Christ. The primary article of a 
monotheistic faith — belief in one God — is not Chris- 
tian faith. "Demons believe and shudder, " Christians 
believe and rejoice; demons believe and rebel, Chris- 
tians believe and obey. It is not bare belief in God 
that saves, but belief in God the Father whom Christ 
reveals. (4) Faith and works are both necessary to 
justification. It is the aim of James to show that the 
man who has the root of faith in his heart will have 
the fruit of goodness in his life. He takes as an illus- 
tration of his argument the case of Abraham, whose 
faith had "a true and valid accomplishment in works. " 
Abraham was justified by faith in the sense that his 
works showed that he was in possession of faith. 
His faith was counted for righteousness because it 
had in it the potency and power of righteousness 
(ii. ^3)-* 

* Between James and Paul there is no antagonism. _ They are looking at 
the same thing, but from opposite ends. Paul is thinking of initial justifica- 
tion which takes place when a man by faith accepts Jesus Christ as a Saviour; 



The Epistle of James 



279 



12. The Christian view of life. The battle-ground 
of the soul. An education rather than a probation. 

(1) Things to be avoided: (a) Jealousy and fac- 
tion (iii. 13, 14). (b) War and strife (iv. 1, 2). The 
war spirit is anti-Christian. It comes from the lower 
and baser side of man's nature. (c) Envying; which 
is contrary to the spirit which God has planted in us 
(iv. 5). (d) Pride (iv. 6). (e) Hasty judgments 
(iv. 11, 12). (f) Presumptuousness (iv. 13-17). The 
uncertainty of life is to be taken into account in every 
undertaking, (g) Carelessness in the taking of oaths. 
Oaths are not to be taken lightly or profanely (v. 12). 
In most cases a simple affirmation is all that is needed. 

(2) Things to be cultivated: (a) Meekness, "the 
meekness of wisdom" (iii. 1). (b) Humility (iv. 10). 
(c) A peace-making spirit (iii. 1). (d) Usefulness. 
Knowledge is to be translated into action (iv. 17). 

13. The Christian hope — the coming, or rather, the 
presence of the Lord (v. 7-1 1). The proper attitude 
of those Hebrew Christians in the persecution that 
encircled them was that of patient waiting; like the 
farmer, who having sown his seed, waits for "the 
early and later rain" — that is, the rain of winter and 
spring. Hardship and injury were to be borne with- 
out a murmur, "for the presence of the Lord was at 
hand." It was no distant, nebulous hope that was 
held out, but a hope that was to find swift and certain 
realization. The recompense of endurance was to 
come to them as surely as it came to Job. 

James of progressive justification which takes place when a man by good 
works proves the reality of his faith. With Paul the ground of justification 
is objective — it is in Christ; with James the ground of justihcation is subjec- 
tive — it is in the man himself. The point of union between these views is 
this, that the works that justify are works which are the offspring of faith in 
Jesus. 



280 The Teachings of the Books 



14. The Christian view of prayer (v ■. 14-20). When 
suffering, pray; when cheerful, sing. (1) Pray for 
the sick. Concentrate power upon the object sought 
by uniting in prayer with others. Call in the elders 
of the Church. Do not trust in charms, but anoint 
with oil as a means of healing.* Having made use of 
means, pray in faith, trusting in God's love and 
power, and believing that He will raise the sufferer 
up, provided a lengthened life will redound to His 
own glory and the sufferer's good (v. 14, 15). (2) 
Make the spiritual supreme. The emptying of the 
soul of evil by confession ought to precede prayer 
for health (v. 16). Prayer "availeth in its working" 
when it comes from the heart of a righteous man. 
The case of Elijah is given. It is the inference of 
James that the drought and rain came in answer to 
Elijah's prayer, and a reasonable inference it is, if we 
believe that behind all outward phenomena there is 
a loving Father who controls all things for spiritual 
ends. (3) Aim at spiritual restoration. Save others 
from death by saving them from error. This is 
more important than the healing of the body. He 
who saves another's soul covers with the veil of 
divine mercy a multitude of sins and redeems a life 
from destruction. The last word of James is a call 
to the noblest of all works, the work of soul-saving. 

* This text lends no countenance to the doctrine of Extreme Unction. 
Extreme Unction is administered sacramentally in cases where recover}- is 
regarded as hopeless; here oil is administered therapeutically, in order to 
recovery; as being a remedy in common use for the cure of all kinds of 
disease. 



THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES 
OF PETER 



I. PETER 

There is perhaps no book of the New Testament 
more fully authenticated than the First Epistle of 
Peter. The external and internal evidence for its 
Petrine authorship are equally strong. It was known 
to Polycarp, and has been accepted by well nigh the 
universal Church, but it has been left to certain mod- 
ern scholars to question this position, some of them 
on the ground of its Pauline characteristics attributing 
its authorship to Barnabas.* It is addressed to "the 
sojourners of the Dispersion," and was transmitted 
by Silvanus (Silas), who was the amanuensis of the 
author. 

THE WRITER 
The original name of Peter was Simon, or Symeon. 
He was born in Bethsaida, and lived in Capernaum, 
where he followed the occupation of fisherman. He 
was a married man, and his house seems to have been 
a meeting-place for the disciples. The turning point 
in his life was his meeting with Jesus, to whom he 
was introduced by Andrew. Nothing is said of that 
interview, but from it Peter came away with a convic- 
tion that Jesus was the Messiah, and with a firmly 
formed purpose that henceforth he would follow His 
fortunes. 

Peter was a typical Galilean, energetic, fiery, brave, 

* A. C. McGiffert, The Apostolic Age, p. 598. 

38l 



282 The Teachings of the Books 



impulsive, changeful. The rock-like qualities which 
Jesus saw in him from the first came out into bold 
relief as his character developed. He was a born 
leader. In him the disciples found a mouthpiece. It 
was from his lips that there came the first Christian 
confession of faith, that good confession of Christ's 
divinity upon which the Church is founded (Matt, 
xvi. 17-19). It was mainly through his efforts that 
the Jews were brought to acknowledge the Messiah- 
ship of Jesus. As a mediator between theological 
extremes, Peter could sympathize with James and 
Paul. Although the apostle of the circumcision, he 
associated freely with the Gentiles. This was his 
offense in the eyes of the strict Jews who came from 
James to Antioch to spy out his liberty in Christ. 
When rebuked by Paul because he had leaned back 
toward the exclusiveness which he had renounced in 
withdrawing for a time from his Gentile brethren, he 
did not take offense. He speaks of his rebuker as 
"our beloved brother Paul" (II. Ep. iii. 10).* The 
rebuke of Paul was merited. It was eminently proper 
for Peter to act as a Jew if he chose, but to do so 
after his free and confidential action was wrong. This 
was not the only lapsus in the life of Peter. His 
denial of the Master is the great blot upon his char- 
acter. With his example before us it is hard to 
believe in apostolic perfection. But nobly did he 
retrieve his failures. After the private meeting with 
the Master he was publicly reinstated into the apos- 
tolic fellowship. "To the erring but repentant 
apostle was given the leadership of the entire Church 
and the honor of martyrdom" (Seiffert). 

*Even if the Petrine authorship of the Second Epistle be questioned, this 
reference to Paul is in Peter's well known spirit, and may have been one of 
his reputed sayings. 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 283 



THE PERSONAL EQUATION 

It would be possible to construct a biography of 
Peter from his first epistle. To Peter the confessor, 
Jesus had said, "Thou art Peter (a stone), and upon 
this rock will I build my Church" ; but Peter, disclaim- 
ing preeminence, and realizing the essential oneness 
of all who confess the same confession, says: "Ye also 
as living stones are built up a spiritual house to be a 
holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices" (ii. 5). 
Remembering how, when carried off his feet by the 
passion of the moment, he had drawn his sword and 
cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high 
priest, he says, "If, when ye do well and suffer for it, 
ye shall take it patiently; this is acceptable with 
God" (ii. 20). Remembering the cowardly way in 
which he had parried the taunting questions of the 
servant maid in the hall of Caiaphas, he says, "Be 
ready always to give answer to every man that asketh 
you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with 
meekness and fear" (iii. 15). Remembering how he 
had been surprised into sin by the sudden assault of 
temptation, he says, "Beloved, think it not strange 
concerning the fiery trial among you which cometh 
upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing 
happened unto you" (iv. 12). Recognizing that the 
commission he had received to feed the sheep and 
lambs of Christ was not for himself alone, he says, 
"The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow- 
elder, tend the flock of God which is among you" 
(v. 1). Remembering his self-confident boast, 
"Though all men should be offended because of thee, 
yet will I never be offended," he says, "Gird your- 



284 The Teachings of the Books 



selves with humility (literally, tie on humility, cf. 
John xiii. 4) to serve one another, for God resist- 
eth the proud and giveth grace to the humble" 
(v. 5). Remembering his miserable fall, he says, 
"Be sober, be watchful; your adversary, the devil, as 
a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may 
devour, whom withstand steadfast in your faith" 
(v. 8). Rejoicing in the triumph which he had 
achieved through the power of divine grace, he says 
to tried and tempted souls everywhere, "The God of 
all grace, who called you unto His eternal glory in 
Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while shall 
himself perfect, stablish, strengthen you" (v. 10). 
These examples show that out of the spiritual experi- 
ence of the writer this epistle was born. It was writ- 
ten in his heart's blood. As a word of reality it finds 
a responsive echo in other souls. 

AIM OF THIS EPISTLE 

It was written to comfort and strengthen Christians 
in a season of trial. Judgment was beginning at the 
house of God. The Church was to be sifted and 
cleansed. Connected with this state of persecution 
there were special temptations against which Chris- 
tians are warned. The present trials of Christians are 
contrasted with their future inheritance. Emphasis is 
put upon the future manifestation of Christ — the 
eschatological element is prominent. The brightest 
Messianic hopes are to be realized, the prophecies of 
the Old Testament are to be fulfilled. The key-word 
of this epistle is hope. 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 285 



PECULIARITIES 

In style it is easy and unconventional, yet never 
careless. It bears evidence that the writer was 
acquainted with Paul's epistles to the Romans and 
Ephesians, and also the epistle of James, and while 
influenced by them, he is thoroughly independent and 
original. There is in his epistle very little of the sub- 
jective side of Christianity. Truth is presented 
objectively and practically. A large use is made of 
Old Testament imagery, yet the epistle seems to have 
been written quite as much for Gentile as for Jewish 
converts. 

A conservative estimate places the date somewhere 
from 65 to 67 A.D., probably nearer the latter than 
the former date. It is said to have been written from 
Babylon (v. 13), which is evidently a symbolical name 
for Rome, to which political center Peter seems to 
have come in his missionary itinerancy. 

II. PETER 

The genuineness of this epistle has been much dis- 
puted, and with a good show of reason. It differs in 
style from the first epistle; it has but few references 
to the Old Testament; it deals with a new range of 
ideas, and while painting in the darkest colors the 
signs of judgment which were to accompany the com- 
ing of Christ, the picture of doom which it presents is 
unrelieved by the light of hope which shines so 
brightly in the first epistle. The occasion for the 
writing of this epistle was the new dangers to which 
the infant Church was exposed from two classes, the 



286 The Teachings of the Books 



libertines and the mockers, against both of which the 
Church is warned. 

Despite the difficulties attending the subject of the 
genuineness of this epistle, the fact that the writer 
claims to be Simon Peter, the apostle, who had been 
with Jesus in the holy mount, and the additional fact 
that the epistle itself contains valuable spiritual teach- 
ing, which to many appears to bear the apostolic 
stamp, it was after much hesitation finally admitted 
into the canon of the New Testament. Its inspira- 
tion if tested by its moral value stands unquestioned. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 
FIRST EPISTLE 

This epistle is characterized by an outpouring of 
soul rather than an orderly arrangement of thought. 
It is a collection of pearls. The thread upon which 
these pearls are strung is the idea of Christian hope. 
This hope, which is the source of comfort in affliction, 
nothing can blight nor destroy. From it come some 
of the most powerful motives for noble living in the 
present. 

SEPARATE PEARLS 

i. Election (i. i, 2). Here we have the ground, the 
sphere, and the end of election. Believers are elect 
"according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 
in sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and 
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." In view of 
their faith, and as standing within the sphere of things 
in which the Holy Spirit operates, they are elected 
unto a life of obedience and purity. The question, 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 287 



How is election realized? is subordinate to the ques- 
tion, For what end are we elected? 

2. A living hope (i. 2-7). This hope is begotten in 
the believing heart "by the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ from the dead." Its object is an incorruptible 
inheritance, which from the beginning has been 
reserved in heaven for those who are guarded by the 
power of God, through faith, unto a salvation ready 
to be manifested at the end of the times. The full- 
ness of salvation is not yet realized. There is much 
to look forward to. Hope gives wings to the feet. 
God will guard His own until the last danger is past, 
and the wilderness of earth is changed for the 
heavenly fold. 

3. The end of faith (i. 8-12). The end of faith is 
salvation — "the salvation of the soul." Not the sal- 
vation of the soul as distinguished from the salvation 
of the body, but as the word "soul" imports, the sal- 
vation of "the life" — in other words, the salvation of 
the entire man in the whole circle of his being. This 
complete salvation for which the prophets "sought 
and searched diligently" is realized in Christ. It 
comes through faith in His unseen presence, and 
through participation in His saving power. 

4. The Christiaii ideal (i. 13-21 ). How is it secured? 
(1) By strenuous effort, "girding up the loins of the 
mind." (2) By setting the heart perfectly upon the 
source of help — namely, "the grace which is being 
brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. " 
(3) By non-conformity to the world. (4) By imitat- 
ing the holy God. ( 5 ) By remembering by what, from 
what, and to what we have been redeemed. We have 
been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, from 



288 The Teachings of the Books 



a vain, empty, and unprofitable life, to a rich and glori- 
ous life in which is fulfilled in some measure the ideal 
presented in Christ. 

5. Inward purification (i. 22-25). Unlike the 
Levitical purifications, which were external and had 
reference merely to the body, Christian purification 
is inward and spiritual. It is a thing of the soul. It 
goes to the center of personality, where the life forces 
of the man reside. Hence the salvation of the soul 
is often taken for the salvation of the whole man; for 
when the citadel is captured the outworks surrender; 
when the bitter fountain has been cleansed the issuing 
streams are pure and sweet. (1) This inward purifi- 
cation is an accomplished fact. The cleansing pro- 
cess is already begun (i. 22). (2) The condition upon 
which it is obtained is obedience to the truth. (3) 
One of its tokens is ''unfeigned love of the brethren" 
(i. 22). (4) The means employed for its accomplish- 
ment is the living word of God, which fadeth not like 
all earthly glory, but "abideth forever" (i. 23-25). 

6. Spiritual development (ii. 1-10). (1) Personal 
growth. (a) In order to personal growth in the 
divine life "all malice and all guile and hypocrisies 
and envies, all evil-speakings," must be cast away 
as a polluted garment. For by these things growth is 
hindered, (o) Suitable nourishment must be taken. 
"Long for spiritual milk" ("reasonable milk," mar- 
gin R. Y. ), milk that is wholesome and unadulter- 
ated, not that ye may be satisfied thereby, but "that 
ye may grow thereby" (ii. 2). (2) Corporate growth. 
Growth of the whole body of believers. A new 
figure is adopted. (a) Believers as living stones 
are built up on Christ the living stone (ii. 5). By 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 289 



them the preciousness of that stone chosen of 
God and rejected of men is proved (ii. 7). (b) 
When life is built up upon life there is growth. 
Only living things grow. Where there is decay of life 
there is an arrest of development, (c) Believers are 
not only the temple, they are the priests that minister 
in it. They are "built up a spiritual house for a holy 
priesthood" (ii. 5). To all believers priestly rank 
belongs. In the temple of the spirit are priestly souls, 
but no priestly class, (d) Believers are united in 
priestly worship and service "to offer up spiritual 
sacrifices" in the name of Christ (ii. 5). (e) They 
are indwelt by God, "a people for His own posses- 
sion." Not only are they filled with the glory of God, 
they also become a* reflection of His glory, showing 
forth "the excellencies of Him who called them out 
of darkness into His marvelous light" (ii. 9). 

7. The pilgrim spirit (ii. 11-15). Christians are to 
comport themselves as "sojourners and pilgrims." 
In the world, they are not of the world. (1) Things 
to be abstained from. Not the innocent and legiti- 
mate pleasures of life, but things that make for spirit- 
ual ruin, "fleshly lusts which war against the soul" 
(ii. 11). (2) Character to be made attractive. "Hav- 
ing your behavior seemly among the Gentiles," so 
that if the mouth of slander cannot be stopped, its 
power for injury may be neutralized. In those days 
the vilest charges were brought against the Chris- 
tians by their pagan neighbors. To the venomed lies 
of slander their only reply was to be a blameless life. 
"By well-doing" they were to endeavor to put to 
silence (literally, to muzzle) the ignorance of fool- 
ish men." (3) The end sought — the influencing of 



290 The Teachings of the Books 



others for good. They were to live so that those who 
did them wrong, seeing their beautiful works, might 
be changed in heart, and "glorify God in the day of 
visitation," whether that day was one of mercy or of 
judgment (ii. 12). 

8. Political, social, and domestic duties (ii. 13-17, 
iii. 1-7). (1) Submission to civil authority. "Be sub- 
ject to every ordinance [institution] of man for the 
Lord's sake. " Government of some kind is necessary. 
Even when far from ideal, it is to be respected as the 
expression of a divine principle. The authority exer- 
cised by the emperor in his own name, and that dele- 
gated by him to his provincial governors, was to be 
obeyed, that the charge made against the Christians 
of being turbulent and rebellious might be refuted. 
At that particular time it would have been the highest 
folly to exercise, on the ground of their freedom in 
Christ, the divine right of revolt against tyranny and 
oppression. The law-abiding spirit inculcated was 
not a passive and spiritless non-resistance, but the 
heroic endurance of political wrong for righteousness' 
sake. (2) Serz>ants and masters. Household ser- 
vants, whether bond or free, are enjoined to be sub- 
ject to their masters with all fear, not only to the 
kind and considerate, but also to those who made per- 
emptory and unreasonable demands, (a) The motive. 
Wrong is to be endured for "conscience toward God" 
(ii. 19), or more correctly, "through the consciousness 
of God" — to-wit, through the consciousness of His 
presence and of His infinite help. The soul that is 
consciously environed by the unseen and eternal, con- 
sciously touched by God, consciously dependent upon 
Him, will be inspired with courage to endure wrong 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 291 



and to do right, (b) The ideal to follow. "Christ 
also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you 
should follow His steps" (ii. 21) — literally, put your 
feet in His tracks. Not His life only, but His death 
and resurrection are the objects of imitation. The 
end for which He carried our sins up to the tree was 
"that we, having died unto sins, should live unto right- 
eousness" (ii. 24). The death of Christ is something 
more than the figure of the death of the soul to sin; it 
is the force by which the spiritual change is produced. 
"By whose stripes you were healed." From the sac- 
rificial death of Christ comes the death of the soul to 
sin and its quickening in righteousness. (3) Duties 
matrimonial (iii. 1-7.) Husbands and wives were to act 
in their relation to one another in harmony with the 
principles enunciated. Christian wives were to render 
to their heathen husbands the submissiveness of a 
true affection, that they might win them to Christ 
"without words" — that is, by the eloquence of silence. 
They were to "find their charm not in outward adorn- 
ment, but in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and 
quiet spirit. " Christian husbands, on the other hand, 
were to "dwell with their wives according to knowl- 
edge." In other words, they were to treat them in a 
thoughtful and reasonable way, honoring them as the 
"weaker vessels," and as "joint heirs of the grace of 
life." The married state is here looked upon as a 
field for the exercise of Christian virtues. 

9. A summary of duty (iii. 8-17). As if about to 
close Peter says, "Finally," — "to sum up in a word": 
(1) Cultivate the Christian temper. "Be ye all of one 
mind, sympathetic, loving as brethren, tender-hearted, 
humble-minded." A special blessing is promised to 



2g2 The Teachings of the Books 



those who manifest these tender feminine graces. 
Bless, and ye shall inherit a blessing. (2) "Seek 
peace and pursue it" (iii. 11). Peace is often found 
only after diligent pursuit. (3) Make Christ central. 
Sanctify Him in your hearts as Lord, separate Him 
in your thoughts from other men, enshrine Him in the 
inmost sanctuary of the soul (iii. 15). (4) Find a 
basis for faith in reason. Be ready when occasion 
demands to give a rational defense of faith. Give it 
in the proper spirit, "with meekness and fear" 
(ii. 15). (5) Keep a good conscience, a conscience 
that points to the Christian ideal as the needle to the 
pole. (6) Suffer for well doing, not for evil doing. 
There is no merit in retributive suffering. 

10. Lessons from the suffering and exaltation of 
Christ (ii. 18-22, iv. 1-6). (1) The object of His suf- 
fering. "He died for sin once, that he might con- 
duct us to God," leading us by His nail-pierced hand 
into the Father's presence. (2) His divine nature. 
"Being put to death in the flesh, He was quickened in 
the spirit, in which also He went and preached unto 
the spirits in prison." This allusion to His descent 
into Hades is incidental. It lay outside of the pur- 
pose of Peter to open the seven-sealed mystery of the 
unseen world. His aim was a practical one. It was 
to show that Jesus having accomplished His mission 
in the under world, ascended to the place of power 
at the right hand of God. (3) An illustration. A 
comparison is found between the flood and baptism 
(iii. 21). The waters of the flood by which Noah 
and his household were saved from the doom which 
overtook their ungodly generation "washed clean the 
sin-stained earth," and thus became the means of the 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 293 



world's purification. They were a figure of that 
essential, ethical baptism which now saves us, a bap- 
tism which consists not in "the putting away of the 
filth of the flesh," but in that inward purity which 
is the inquiry of a good conscience toward God — a 
baptism which is realized "through the resurrection of 
Jesus Christ." (4) The practical power of the resur- 
rection of Christ. This was the leading idea in the 
apostle's mind. "Arm ye yourselves also with the 
same mind" (iv. 1), the mind of Him who suffered 
and triumphed. Separate yourselves from the old 
life. Live no longer "to the lusts of men, but to the 
will of God," so that if you should be put to death in 
the flesh by your cruel persecutors, you may, like the 
dead unto whom the good tidings were preached, 
"live according to God in the spirit" (iv. 6). All 
who die with Christ shall also live with Him. 

11. Impending judgment. "The end of all things is 
at hand" (iv.7). "The time is come for judgment to 
begin" (iv. 17). The tone of this epistle is different 
from that of II. Thessalonians. There is to be no 
delay. The cup of iniquity is now full. Judgment is 
imminent. It is about to fall upon "the house of 
God." On the background of Israel's judgment 
the "salvation ready to be revealed at the last time" 
(i. 5) shines forth. Christians are to suffer patiently, 
for the time of suffering will be short, and in the glory 
about to be revealed they will become partakers 

(V. I). 

12. Hortatory ending (v. 5-12). (1) Official faithful- 
ness. Elders are to tend to the flock of God "with 
willing and self-denying oversight, that they may 
receive the aramanthine crown. (2) Stability — being 



294 The Teachings of the Books 



firm in the faith. (3) The goal — perfection. "After 
ye have suffered a little while, the God of all grace 
shall Himself perfect, establish, strengthen you." For 
that end He is now at work upon you. (4) The 
object of the epistle is thus stated: "I have written 
unto you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is 
the true grace of God. In this take your stand." 

SECOND EPISTLE 

It adds interest to this epistle if we look upon it as 
written by Peter even in "a partial and secondary 
sense," for then will we see in it some of his latest and 
ripest thoughts. But one thing is clear, the writer 
of this epistle, whoever he may have /been, had a dis- 
tinct and definite purpose, to which he steadfastly ad- 
hered. His purpose was twofold. It was to forewarn 
those who had obtained "an equally precious faith" 
with himself of the changes which were coming, and 
to exhort them to progress in Christian thought and 
life. (See iii. 17, 18) The salient points of the epis- 
tle are: 

1. The saving power of Christian knowledge (i. 1-4). 
The key-word of this epistle is knowledge. In the 
full and complete knowledge of God, as revealed in 
Christ, all spiritual good is to be realized. (1) In 
the full knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our 
Lord, grace and peace are multiplied (i. 2). (2) 
Through this knowledge come "all things that pertain 
to life and godliness" (i. 3) — that is, all things that 
are requisite for the attainment of spiritual life and 
godliness. (3) Included in this knowledge are "pre- 
cious and exceeding great promises," which are given 
by Him who called us through the manifestation of 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 295 



His own glory and power, that we might become par- 
takers of the divine nature (i. 4). Divine life is an 
impartation, not an evolution. A sinner does not 
evolve into a saint. A new and holy nature is 
implanted which produces holy actions. Those who 
are partakers of Christ's nature, are partakers of His 
holiness. 

2. Salvation in fullness (i. 5-1 1). Because of the 
grace provided, strenuous effort must be made to 
grow in every Christian grace. Virtues are not self- 
sown. "All diligence" must be given to produce 
them. Stone is to be added to stone in the building 
up of a holy character. (1) Faith is the foundation, 
to which everything is to be added. (2) In faith we 
are to add virtue, or force — not prowess and courage 
only, but aptness and readiness for action, "activity, 
tone, and strength of soul" (Bengel). Equally in 
the working and fighting Christian may "virtue" be 
exemplified. (3) "In force knowledge," or the prac- 
tical wisdom by which force is to be regulated and 
directed. (4) "In knowledge, temperance," or self- 
control in the presence of life's enjoyments. (5) "In 
temperance, patience" in the presence of suffering. 
(6) "In patience godliness," or a supreme [regard for 
God. (7) "In godliness love of the brethren, and in 
love of the brethren, love" ; in the two streams of love 
of the brethren and love of humanity Christian love is 
to flow forth. (8) The promise given. Those who 
give diligence to build upon faith the superstructure 
of a holy life shall make "their calling and election 
sure," and shall gain a triumphant entrance into 
Christ's eternal kingdom. If the figure of furnishing 
and leading out a chorus be adopted, then those who 



296 



The Teachings of the Books 



give diligence to furnish a chorus of graces, which 
accompany faith as a lovely train, shall have an 
abundant entrance given them into Christ's eter- 
nal kingdom. The graces which they have furnished 
will attend them as a radiant escort as they sweep 
through the gates. 

3. A sanctified memory (i. 12-15, The func- 
tion of memory in the Christian life is here brought 
out. Memory is not only the golden thread upon 
which the experiences of life are strung; it is a power 
unto spiritual resuscitation. We need often to medi- 
tate afresh on old themes. The evil is not that we do 
not know, but that we forget. (1) We are to take a 
fresh grip upon old truth (i. 13). (2) We are to be 
established in "the present truth"; that is "in the 
truth which is with us" (i. 12). Truth in its essence 
is eternal, but there is some aspect of it which is spe- 
cially adapted to present circumstances and needs. 
In "the truth that is with us" we are to seek to be 
confirmed. 

4. A ground for certainty (i. 16-21). A comparison 
is drawn between the word of special revelation which 
is sure, and the word of prophecy which is more sure. 
(1) The sure word of special revelation was the "voice 
from heaven" which Peter heard on the mount of 
transfiguration. That word was to the favored three 
who heard it satisfactory and convincing. But as 
something unwonted and miraculous, its reality and 
validity might to others be open questions. (2) The 
more sure word of prophecy is found written in the 
Old Testament Scriptures. (a) This surer word is 
a light shining in a dark or squalid place. From it 
came all the light for the times in which it is given. 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 297 

(b) It is temporary. It passes away, to give place to 
something better. The lamp of prophetic inspiration 
is of use "until the day dawn and the day-star arise" 
in Christ-illumined hearts. What need is there for a 
lamp when the morning-star has heralded the 
approach of day? (c) It is not of private interpreta- 
tion or invention (i. 21). This does not mean that it 
is not to be privately interpreted. It means that 
the prophets did not invent what they wrote. "They 
spake from God," as if his mouthpieces, "being moved 
by the Holy Spirit." 

5. A time of defection. (Chapter II.) In these last 
times there were false teachers in the Church, as there 
had been false prophets in Israel. These false teach- 
ers are characterized: (1) As schismatics, "who privily 
bring in destructive heresies" (vv. 1-4), or more liter- 
ally, "sects or schisms of perdition." The heresies 
which are generally condemned are heresies of life; 
but there is one heresy of belief which stands out for 
special reprobation. This heresy of heresies, which 
consists in denying the Master who bought us, brings 
destruction swift and sure. (2) Apostates. Those 
who had previous knowledge of Christ, from which 
they had fallen away. They sin with open eyes 
(vv. 20, 21). They have forsaken the right way, and 
have gone astray, following the way to Balaam (v. 15). 
Their destruction will be like that which came upon 
the angels that sinned (v. 4), or like that which over- 
took the antediluvians (v. 5); or like that which fell 
upon the cities of the plain (v. 6). From their doom 
the righteous escape (vv. 5, 7, 9). (3) Scoffers, who 
taunt the believers and ask, "Where is the promise 
of His presence?" They point to the unvarying con- 



298 The Teachings of the Books 



stancy of the operations of nature, forgetful of the 
fact that there have been sudden and startling changes, 
and hence oblivious to the natural inference that what 
has been may be. 

6. The breaking up of the old order, and the dawning 
of the new. (Chapter III.) This epistle was evidently 
written before the fall of Jerusalem, and probably, as 
Weiss suggests, in the latter days of Nero's reign. 
In this section it depicts: (1) The speedy destruction 
of the existing order of things. "The Lord is not 
tardy" (v. 9). "His seeming delay is not delay, but 
mercy and forbearance" (Augustine). Nor is He ever 
in a hurry. He does not reckon time by our stand- 
ards of measurement. With Him "one day is as a 
thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" 
(v. 8). The present order is represented as "being 
dissolved" (v. 12). The symbolical character of the 
cosmic changes referred to will present no difficulty to 
the student of Old Testament prophecy. (2) Willing 
ignorance of coming judgment (v. 5). This voluntary 
ignorance is not the result of a want of capacity or of 
evidence. It springs from unwillingness to know; 
men often shut their eyes upon what they do not want 
to see. (3) The new order. "New heavens and new 
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (v. 13). No 
dim and distant heaven, but a new order begun on 
earth. Judgment was to be a cleansing process. By 
the fiery judgments about to come the world was to 
be renovated. 

7. What the knowledge of the approach of the day of 
the Lord should lead to (iii. 14-18). It should have a re- 
flexive influence upon character. "Seeing that ye look 
for these things, give diligence that ye may be found 



First and Second Epistles of Peter 299 



in peace, without spot and blameless in His sight." 
Be on your guard that you do not misread the long- 
suffering of God. Do not allow yourselves to be 
carried off your feet "by the error of the wicked." 
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of your Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ," to whom be glory given, 
"both now and unto the day of eternity." 



THE EPISTLES OF JOHN 



There are three distinct periods in the life of John: 
the first when he was the constant companion of the 
Lord; the second after the death of Jesus, when he 
was an exile in the island of Patmos, where he wrote 
the Apocalypse; the third when in his old age he was 
the honored leader of the Church, the sole survivor of 
the apostles. It was during this latter period, which 
was spent in Ephesus, that the fourth gospel and the 
three epistles which bear his name were written. 

These epistles are anonymous. That they are the 
work of John, the beloved disciple, has been generally 
admitted. In the second and third epistles the writer 
styles himself "the elder." That name may have 
been used to denote the office of Presbyter, which he 
held, or more likely, because of his age. In either 
case, there is in its use a suggestion of personal 
modesty. 

PECULIARITIES 

This trinity of epistles shows the same peculiarities 
which mark the fourth gospel. There is a recurrence 
of the same words, such as witness, light, love, and 
life. There are the same sharply drawn contrasts 
between light and darkness, good and evil, life and 
death, God and Satan. In the first epistle there are 
thirty-five passages which have their parallel in the 
fourth gospel. Not only do these three epistles and 

300 



The Epistles of John 



301 



the fourth gospel bear evidence of having been written 
by the same hand; they also bear evidence of having 
been written about the same time. 

LITERARY FORM 

What appears at first a series of detached state- 
ments is found upon closer study to be an organic 
whole. There is an underlying unity of thought 
which binds all the parts together. 

The first epistle contains a more formal statement 
of Christian doctrine than the second and third, which 
are simply specimens of Christian correspondence into 
which spiritual instruction is incidentally interwoven. 
All of them have the same mystical touch, the same 
contemplative spirit, the same flashing intuition that 
belong to the apostle John. Apart from mannerisms 
of style, they have the essential Johannine qualities. 
They deal not so much in argument as in affirmation. 
They make no appeal to the Old Testament, but they 
assume its authority. They recognize certain sources 
of knowledge as the common property of the Chris- 
tian brotherhood. "We know" — that is, you and I 
know — "that such and such things are so." There 
is a direct appeal to the Christian consciousness, and 
to the common objective faith out of which that con- 
sciousness has grown. 

CONDITIONS PREVAILING AMONG THE CHURCHES 
WHEN THESE EPISTLES WERE WRITTEN 

The churches had rest in those days. There was a 
pause in the devastating work of persecution. Dr. 
Farrar says that in these epistles a state of society is 
revealed which in many respects resembles that 



302 The Teachings of the Books 



described in the recently discovered 14 Teachings of 
the Twelve Apostles." The churches had grown. 
They had also undergone internal change. The 
destruction of Jerusalem and the shattering of Judaism 
had emancipated the Church completely from Judaiz- 
ing tendencies. The old burning questions touching 
the relations of Christians to the law were no longer I 
discussed. The distinction between Gentile and Jew 
had completely vanished. New forces were in opera- 
tion. The leaven of heresy was beginning to work. 
The churches in Asia were in peril from false doc- 
trine. Hence John in his old age felt compelled to 
break the seal of silence and utter a word of warning. 
Hence, also, the anti-heretical character of his epistles. 
They were written to expose the error of those who 
denied that Jesus Christ was come in the flesh. The 
theme of John's gospel is that "Jesus is the Christ"; 
the theme of the epistles is that "the Christ is Jesus" 
(Westcott). That the denial of the reality of the 
incarnation of Christ is the climax of iniquity, is the 
final and impressive message of the apostolic age. 

THEIR CATHOLICITY 

These epistles have no local coloring. They are 
spiritual and universal. While assuming the existence 
of the Church as an organized body, they put em- 
phasis not upon questions of doctrine, government, or 
ritual, but upon the cultivation of the spiritual life. 
Their key-word is love, their practical aim is the 
awakening of the life of love in the soul of man. As 
the latest of the apostolic writings, written at the 
close of the Jewish age, just as the new age, the Chris- 
tian age, now current, was beginning to dawn, they 



The Epistles of John 



3°3 



have a peculiar adaptability to the Church of to-day. 
They contain something of the universal truth which 
the Spirit is now revealing to the churches. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

The Church of the new age to which John writes is 
set in the midst of new conditions and is beset with 
new dangers. Missionary fervor has abated ; develop- 
ment in doctrine has taken place; old controversies 
have died out; speculation has become rife; the anti- 
christ of this new age is not some political power, 
crushing out the life of the Church, but the denier of 
the divine humanity of Jesus. "This is the anti- 
christ, even he that denieth the Father and the Son" 
(I. John ii. 22). Outward opposition is no longer 
experienced. The main source of peril is from the 
working of evil within the Church itself, the 
churches' foes those of her own household. But the 
world, although not actively and openly hostile, is 
still alien. "It is indeed perilous, but it is rather by 
its seductions than by its hostility" (Westcott).* It 
is therefore something to be opposed and overcome. 
The Church is to conquer the world, instead of allow- 
ing herself to be conquered by it. 

FIRST EPISTLE 

SEED THOUGHTS 

1. The doctrine of God as central. From the doc- 
trine of God, which is summed up in the two affirma- 
tions, "God is light" and "God is love" (iv. 9), John 

♦The term "world" as used by John is very elastic. It is employed in three 
distinct senses: (a) To denote the earth, the present abode of man. (II. 
John vii). (b) To denote the people living- on this planet (I. John, ii. 2). 
(c) To denote the present corrupt and sinful world-order (I. John ii. 15). la 
this latter sense it is contrasted with the Church (I. John iii. 13). 



304 The Teachings of the Books 



deduces all that he has to say concerning the Chris- 
tian life. 

''''God is light" and hence He gives light. He is 
glorious in holiness, and hence He is the source of 
holiness in us. He is the Irue God, and therefore He 
is the fountain of truth. The expression "God is 
righteous" (I. Eph. ii. 29) is the ethical equivalent of 
the figurative expression "God is light." 

''''God is love" and hence He loves. As all the 
colors when combined xorm white, all the attributes 
of God when combiner form love. Love is the con- 
tent of the divine personality, the essence of the 
divine nature, the sum total of the divine attributes. 
It is also "the supreme and comprehensive determina- 
tion of God in the Christian religion" (Ritschl) — that 
is, the power by which righteousness is produced. 

2. Religion as personal and spii-itual. (1) As realized 
in fellowship with God. This fellowship is not that 
of a subject with a sovereign, but of a son with a 
father (i. 1-4).* (2) It is secured by the mani- 
festation of the eternal life (i. 2). The manifestation 
of God in the life of Jesus was for the purpose of 
bringing man into union and fellowship with the 
Father. (3) It begins in forgiveness and leads to 
inward [cleansing (i. 7-9). (4) It issues in a life of 
joyous service. The soul that is in union and com- 
munion with God walks in the light (i. 7). 

3. Religion as social. (1) Fellowship with the 
Father includes fellowship with all the Father's chil- 
dren (i. 7). (2) Brotherhood and sonship are correla- 

* Whereas with Paul sonship is a legal state into which the believer comes 
by adoption, with John it is a vital state into which he comes by birth. 



The Epistles of John 



tive. Those who are sons of God are brothers of one 
another (iii. 14). (3) Love to God carries with it love 
to all the children of God (iii. 13-24). Two strong 
things are affirmed of the man who says he loves God 
while he is hating his brother. First, "he is in dark- 
ness" (ii. 9) ; second, "he is a liar" (iv. 20). Evidence 
of divine sonship is found in the possession of social 
righteousness (iii. 10), and of social compassion (iii. 17). 

4. The width of Christ's Messianic mission. It is 
wide as the world. All Jewish narrowness touching 
the scope of salvation has entirely disappeared. 
Christ is the propitiation "for the whole world" (ii. 2), 
not in the sense that He placates God's wrath, but in 
the sense that He expresses God's love (iv. 10). 
Be it noted that it is not said that He made a 
propitiation for the world's sin, but that "He is the 
propitiation for the world's sin." Salvation is not 
found in something abstract from Him which we call 
His work. It is in Christ Himself, and is realized in 
personal union with Him as a living, personal Saviour. 

5. A new commandment (ii. 7-1 1). The command- 
ment enforcing brotherly love is new, and yet it is 
old. It is the old commandment of the Decalogue 
reaffirmed, enlarged, and reinforced by new motives. 
More specifically it is the great commandment of 
Christ already recorded by the same writer (John 
xiii. 34; xv. 12), but now needing new emphasis and 
application in view of changed conditions. The new 
grows out of the old. The revelation of the love of 
God in Christ awakens in man a responsive love, 
which becomes the law of his life. 

6. A time of, transition. A new day was dawning 



306 



The Teachings of the Books 



upon the world. The old age was fading before the 
coming of the new. The darkness was passing away, 
and the true light already shining (ii. 8), tipping the 
mountain peaks with its growing brightness. "The 
hour cometh and now is," when the local and tempor- 
ary should give place to the spiritual and the eternal. 
It is the last time — yea, "the last hour" (ii. 19), the 
extreme end of the Jewish dispensation. To call this 
"a note of spiritual, not material time" (Sinclair) is a 
mistake. The death-knell of the old age had already 
rung. It might yet have spasms of expiring life, but 
the dispensational crisis had arrived. Speaking to the 
common Christian consciousness of his day, John says, 
"We know that the Son of Man is come" (v. 20). 
And because He had come Christians were exhorted 
to abide in Him, that they might rejoice before Him 
at the manifestation of His presence (ii. 28). Their 
hope for the future was not in His coming, but in the 
manifestation of His presence. 

7. The climax of iniquity. The climax of iniquity is 
the denial of Christ's incarnation, the denial of His 
actual coming in the flesh. The denier of Christ is 
branded as "the liar" and "the antichrist" (ii. 22). 
He is said to "annul Jesus" (iv. 3, marginal reading 
R. V.). He makes the Messianic claims of Christ 
null and void. The errorist of to-day is in danger of 
swinging in the opposite direction, denying the proper 
divinity of Christ.* 

8. Christ the present life of the Christian. "The 
life eternal" which was manifested in Him is imparted 
to the believer (ii. 25, v. 11, 12). There is no men- 

* Confessional progress is seen in the emphasizing of the Messiahship of 
Jesus by Peter (Mark viii. 29); of His Lordship by Paul (Phil. ii. 11); and of 
His Sonship by John (1. Ep. iv. 15). 



The Epistles of John 307 

tion of His cross or resurrection. He is now an 
indwelling presence, filling the soul and controlling 
the life. His Parousia has become a blessed reality 
in Christian experience. 

9. The purifying power of Christian hope. "He 
that hath this hope set on him" — that is, the hope 
of seeing Christ, and being like Him — "purifieth him- 
self even as He is pure" (iii. 3). "Set on Him" — 
that is, set on Jesus Christ. Those who set their 
hope on Christ are inspired to live pure and Christ- 
like lives. Their hope of final attainment is a vital 
power within them, the spring of heroic endeavor and 
endurance. 

10. The ethical value of the incarnation. The eternal 
life and love of God, which are always in a state of 
manifestation, found their supreme manifestation in 
the human life of Jesus. This supreme manifesta- 
tion of God, which constitutes the greatest event of 
all time, was for the purpose of redemption. "The 
Son of God was manifested (1) that He might destroy 
the works of the devil (iii. 8); (2) that He might 
take away sins" (iii. 5). 

11. The victory of faith. In the conflict with the 
alien world-forces the conquering power is faith (v. 4). 
The overcoming power of faith lies in its object. 
Through faith the soul of man is brought into union 
with the mighty Son of God, and is made a partaker 
of His victorious strength. 

It is worthy of note that as Paul, the apostle of 
faith, reaches his supreme utterance when discoursing 
of love (1 Cor. xiii.), so John, the apostle of love, 
strikes his highest note when discoursing of faith. 

12. A threefold witness. (1) The witness of God to 



308 The Teachings of the Books 



us — to-wit, His witness regarding His Son (v. 10).* 
(2) The witness of God in us (v. 10), which is the an- 
swer to our faith in the outward witness, and meets 
the demands of conscience, of reason, and of moral 
aspiration. (3) The witness which we bear for God 
(iv. 14), and which comes out of the inward assurance 
of faith. 

13. Boldness in the judgment (iv. 16-18). This holy 
boldness springs from love. Love neutralizes fear. 
It expels it from the heart as light expels darkness. 
Those who love their heavenly judge stand in the 
midst of the fiery judgment of the present unmoved; 
they also face the future without foreboding, for 
they know that all judgment is from love and for sal- 
vation. 

14. Boldness in prayer (v. 13-17). Those who are 
one in desire with God have every reason to be bold 
in prayer. They cannot ask too much when every 
wish is subordinated to the divine will. But where 
God's forgiving mercy stops, prayer must stop. 
"There is a sin unto death, not concerning this do I 
say that he should make request" (v. 16). This one 
deadly sin is the sin of wilful, persistent unbelief. It 
is a sin which the pardoning love of God cannot over- 
look. It can be taken away only by personal repent- 
ance. Hence we are to pray, not that God would 
forgive this sin, but that the sinner may be brought to 
repent of it, that he may be forgiven. John holds 
up the red flag of danger. He warns while he wooes. 
The apostle of love is the son of thunder. Love can 
be stern. 

*The reference in v. 7 to the three heavenly witnesses, " the Father, the 
Word, and the Holy Spirit," is not genuine. It probably crept into the text 
from Greek notes on the passage. 



The Epistles of John 309 



15. Confidence in Christ's keeping power (v. 18-21). 
The one who is begotten of God "keepeth himself," 
not, however, by his own power, but by maintaining 
connection with the source of power in Christ. 

16. Inward renewal. "Whosoever is born of God 
sinneth not" (v. iS). It is a prominent thought in 
this epistle that sin is foreign to the spiritual man. 
It is opposed to his very nature. He hates it; he 
loathes it; he flees from it. Surprised into sin he 
may be, overtaken in a fault he may be, but sin will- 
ingly he cannot. The reason for this irreconcilable 
antagonism to sin is thus given. "Whosoever is 
begotten of God doeth no sin, because His seed abid- 
eth in him" — that is, the seed of the divine life which 
is opposed to sin, — "and he cannot sin because he is 
begotten of God" (iii. 9). Again it is said, "Every 
one that abideth in Him sinneth not" (iii. 6). By 
dwelling in Christ the will to sin is taken away. All 
the currents of the Christ-entempled soul set toward 
righteousness. 

17 A final word of warning. "Little children 
guard yourselves from idols" (v. 21). Allow no one 
but God to occupy the throne. Put Him first. Give 
to Him the supreme place in the heart, and every- 
thing in life will fall into its proper order. 

SECOND EPISTLE 

1. Christian friendship. Christianity deepens and 
sweetens the friendships of earth. "The- elect lady" 
and her children, whose hospitality John had probably 
enjoyed when visiting the churches in Asia, receive 
assurance that they are truly loved. Their home life 
must have been redolent of the Christian spirit to 



310 The Teachings of the Books 



make it so attractive to the apostle. His love for 
them was no doubt abundantly appreciated. 

2. Walking in truth (v. 4). John rejoiced that he 
found certain children of the elect lady not only 
accepting the truth of the gospel, but walking in it — 
that is, walking in conformity with its requirements. 
Truth has an ethical side. It is something to be 
obeyed as well as something to be believed. 

3. Walking in love (v. 6). Those who walk in truth 
walk also in love. Love is the element of their lives. 
It is the law by which they are governed. "Love is 
one commandment in which all God's other command- 
ments are summed up" (Alford). 

4. Holding on to what has been gained. "Look to 
yourselves that ye lose not (or destroy not) the things 
which we have wrought"; or it may read, "the things 
which ye have wrought" (v. 8). In either case the 
general idea is, Pull not down what has been built up. 
Lose not your full reward by undoing the good 
already done. 

5. Ti-ue conservatism. "Whosoever goeth onward" 
— or as the margin of the Revised Version has it, 
"whosoever taketh the lead not abiding in the teach- 
ing of Christ, hath not God" (v. 9). It is not going 
forward too fast, but going forward too far, that is 
condemned. The teacher who advances beyond 
Christ is too progressive. "He hath not God" — that 
is, he has no real knowledge of God, no true fellow- 
ship with God, and hence no divine sanction for his 
teachings. 

6. How to treat a heretic. "Receive him not into 
your house and give him no greeting" (v. 10). Does 
this mean that he is not to be shown common human- 



The Epistles of John 311 



ity? By no means. Such a thing would be utterly 
opposed to the spirit of Christ. Alas, how often has 
religious bigotry and hatred sought justification in 
these words! What the apostle evidently means is 
that "the deceiver" who causes others to wander is 
not to receive countenance and support. Feed him 
if he is hungry, of course; but do not receive him into 
the bosom of your household, and do not send him 
away on his evil mission with your godspeed. 

THIRD EPISTLE 

1. The person addressed. Regarding "Gaius the 
beloved" nothing is positively known. He was per- 
haps the person of that name who was the host of St. 
Paul at Corinth. The purpose for which this letter 
was written was to express thanks for hospitality 
received at his hands. 

2. A noble wish. "I pray that in all things" — in 
every respect — "thou mayest prosper and be in health, 
even as thy soul prospereth" (v. 2) — the very oppo- 
site of the usual form of greeting. How badly many 
would fare if soul prosperity was made the measure of 
worldly prosperity. 

3. A word of commendation. (1) Gaius did "a faith- 
ful work" in ministering to the religious itinerants. 
(2) He did a work of wide-reaching helpfulness, speed- 
ing forward those messengers who were acting 
"worthily of God" (v. 6). (3) He was prompted by 
a right motive, doing it "for the sake of the name" 
in which these messengers went forth. 

4. A contrast. (1) A hinderer. Diotrephes, who 
loved to have the preeminence — a domineering, prat- 
ing, pestiferous man. He opposed the apostle in 



3 12 The Teachings of the Books 



every way in his power, suppressed his letters to the 
church of which he was a member, refused to receive 
his messengers who brought them, and tried to have 
those who did receive them excommunicated. He was 
the kind of man whose example is not to be imitated. 
(2) A helper. If there are those who oppose the good 
work, there are those who assist it. Such a one was 
"Demetrius," a man of good respect, "having the 
witness of all men and of the truth itself" (v. 12). 

5. A final salutation. "Salute the friends by name" 
(v. 14). Words that reveal personal interest in 
others, and agree well, as Dr. Farrar has pointed out, 
with the traditional utterance, "Little children love 
one another," with which the aged apostle was wont 
to salute the members of the Church in Ephesus when 
carried upon a couch into the midst of their assem- 
blies. If these are really the last words which came 
from the pen of the apostle John, and the last words 
of revelation, they are sufficiently characteristic as 
summing up in a sentence the message of the apostle 
of love. 



THE EPISTLE OF JUDE 



This is the seventh and last of the catholic epistles. 
The presence in it of illustrations drawn from Jewish 
sources does not militate against its catholic charac- 
ter. Although it seems to have been written for the 
Judseo-Christians, it was not written for them exclu- 
sively. It has a note of universality. 

The writer styles himself "Jude, the brother of 
James," meaning, no doubt, James, the Lord's 
brother, bishop of Jerusalem and author of the epistle 
which bears his name. In Matt. xiii. 55, Jude is 
named among the brethren of the Lord. He is to be 
distinguished from "Jude of James" (Luke vi. 16), 
one of the apostles, and elsewhere called Lebbaeus 
and Thaddasus. The expression "Jude of James" is 
wrongly paraphrased "Jude the brother of James" in 
the Authorized Version, and rightly paraphrased "Jude 
the son of James" in the Revised Version. That the 
writer of this letter was not an apostle is evident 
from the statement in v. 17. Like his brother James, 
Jude modestly veils the fact that he was the Lord's 
brother. He subscribes himself "a bond-servant of 
Jesus Christ." For a long time he was staggered by 
the Messianic claims of Jesus, and not until after His 
resurrection and His personal manifestation to His 
brother James did Jude come within the circle of the 
believers (Acts i. 14). 

3i3 



314 The Teachings of the Books 

The style of this letter is peculiar. Its ideas and 
figures are arranged in groups of threes. In spirit 
and literary form it resembles a section taken from 
one of the old Hebrew prophets. Its movement is 
cyclonic. It lashes with a whip of scorpions the lib- 
ertines who try to conceal their evil deeds under the 
cloak of religion. Fierce invectives flash out like 
lurid flames. But the severity is seasoned with Chris- 
tian compassion. The prophet of judgment has felt 
the touch of the pity of Christ. It is difficult to deter- 
mine the date of this epistle by internal evidence. Its 
use of phrases found also in II. Peter shows its lit- 
erary kinship with that epistle. Absence of reference 
to the fall of Jerusalem tends to show that it was written 
before that event, for in recounting the judgments of 
God against disobedience, the lack of allusion to the 
most notable judgment of all can be accounted for 
only on the supposition that it had not taken place. 

An interesting story which lends countenance to 
the early date of this letter is to the effect that the 
Emperor Domitian, who reigned in 80 A. D., sent 
for the grandchildren of Jude to inquire of them 
touching the kingdom of Christ, of which he had 
heard. When he saw before him a group of poor 
peasants his jealousy was changed into contempt. 
Before the time of this interview Jude was dead. 

One of the most marked peculiarities of Jude's 
letter is the use which it makes, for illustrative pur- 
poses, of uncanonical books. In the same free way 
that Jesus uses Old Testament narratives, it makes use 
of the legend in "The Assumption of Moses" of the 
conflict between the archangel Michael and the devil 
about the body of Moses. The substance of that 



The Epistle of Jude 



315 



legend is that the devil wishing to disclose the place 
where the body of Moses was buried that he might 
tempt the people to make it a shrine, and thus lure 
them into idolatry, Michael prevented him, rebuking 
him for the evil motive which he artfully concealed. 
From the apochryphal book of Enoch, one of the best- 
known specimens of apocalyptic literature, a quota- 
tion is also made verbatim (vv. 14, 15). For a time 
the references to these two books made against the 
canonicity of Jude's letter, but when the process of 
selection was completed its right to a place in the 
New Testament canon was generally conceded. 

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS 

In this epistle the hatred of iniquity is more con- 
spicuous than the love of righteousness. The writer 
had evidently been turned aside from his original pur- 
pose. He says, "While I was giving all diligence to 
write unto you of our common salvation, I was con- 
strained to write unto you exhorting you to contend 
earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered 
unto the saints" (v. 3). He had begun to write a 
treatise upon the general theme of "the common sal- 
vation" which has been brought to man by Jesus 
Christ when a vision of the actual state of things 
around him changed the current of his thoughts, and 
caused him to take up a more pressing subject. This 
was no time for the leisurely writing of extended 
treatises. It was a time for winged words of warning 
and rebuke, a time for pointed speaking and prompt 
action. 

1. A good contention. The thing to be contended 
for was "the faith" — that is, the body of doctrine — 



3 1 6 The Teachings of the Books 



"which was once for all delivered unto the saints," 
namely, by the apostles. No new doctrine was held 
to be admissible. The apostolic teaching was final 
and complete. This does not imply that there was to 
be no development in doctrine, but it does imply that 
all development was to be based upon apostolic teach- 
ing. 

The urgency for this contention lay in the fact 
that the truth was being corrupted by certain men 
who had slunk into the Church and were making the 
grace of God a chartered license to sin, thus virtually 
denying "the only Master, our Lord Jesus Christ" 
(v. 4). The deadliest foes of the Church have always 
been those of her own household. 

2. Lessons from the past. An argument for the 
coming of retribution upon those who were opposing 
Christ and His truth is strengthened by a reference to 
notable historical examples of divine vengeance against 
sin. The four beacon lights set up are: (1) The de- 
struction of the unbelieving Jews, who had aforetime 
been mercifully delivered from Egypt (v. 5). (2) The 
destruction of the wanton angels "who kept not their 
own principality, but left their proper habitation" 
( v - 6). (3) The destruction by eternal fire of the 
moral plague spots, Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7). (4) 
The destruction of individual sinners, like Cain, 
Balaam, and Korah, who fell respectively through 
jealousy, avarice, and resistance of divine authority. 

The corrupt and impious men whom Jude casti- 
gates were harsh and headlong in their judgment of 
others. They railed against "dignities," not putting 
themselves under restraint as the archangel Michael 
is said to have done when contending with the devil 



The Epistle of Jude 317 

concerning the body of Moses; for he, not daring to 
bring a railing accusation against the arch-deceiver, 
left him in the hands of the righteous judge, saying, 
"The Lord rebuke thee." No difficulty need be 
found in the statement that these evil men were "set 
forth unto condemnation" (v. 4). They were not 
"ordained," or foreappointed to condemnation, as 
the Authorized Version puts it, but were merely de- 
scribed beforehand on the page of prophecy in the 
character of notorious sinners selected as their rep- 
resentatives; and were marked out as ripe for the 
same doom. 

3. A dark picture. These evil-workers pilloried by 
Jude were as lax in morals as they were false in doc- 
trine. They are described as: (1) Dangerous — "hid- 
den rocks in the love feasts" (v. 12); sunken reefs 
upon which others split. (2) Self-seeking — shepherds 
who fed themselves and starved the flock (v. 12). (3) 
Pretenders — "clouds without water" (v. 12), prom- 
ising what they did not fulfill. (4) Barren of good — 
"autumn trees without fruit" (v. 12). (5) Shameless — 
"wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame" 
(v. 13). (6) Lawless — "wandering stars," which had 
broken loose from their orbit, and were rushing on 
to destruction. 

The sad thing about these evil-workers is that they 
tried to conceal their real motives under the cloak of 
religious profession. They were traitors in the Lord's 
camp, and were certain sooner or later to be overtaken 
by the traitors' fate. 

3. Forewarned. A traditional prophecy of Enoch 
which foretold in a general way the pouring out of the 
vials of God's wrath upon the ungodly, is applied to 



3 1 8 The Teachings of the Books 



this particular class of offenders (vv. 14, 15). The 
apostles of the Lord had also given definite warning 
that "in the last time," pestiferous renegades should 
spring up within the borders of the Church (v. 17). 

The root of all the wickedness in all these vile men, 
whose very breath carried moral pestilence, is thus 
given, "These are they who make separations, sen- \ 
sual" (animal, carnal, or more literally, psychical) 
"having not the Spirit" (v. 19), and hence unspiritual. 
They were not destitute of a spirit, but of the Spirit. 
"Their inward and outward life was directed by the 
soul, the lower side of their immortal being — the side 
nearest to the body and the outer world" (Beet). 
"The pneuma being unvivified and uninformed by the 
Spirit of God, was overborne by the animal soul" 
(Alford). Untouched by spiritual considerations, they 
slavishly obeyed the solicitations of their lower 
nature. In a word, they were "of the earth earthy." 

5. How to meet the dangers of the hour. (1) By giv- 
ing attention to the cultivation of the spiritual life. 
"Building up yourselves on the foundation of your 
holy faith; praying under the inspiration and help of 
the Holy Spirit; keeping yourselves in the life-giving 
sunshine of the love of God; looking for the mercy 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which issues in eternal life 
(vv. 20, 21). To resist the tendency to fall from a 
high to a lower level sustained effort is needed. (2) 
By working for others, seeking the recovery of back- 
sliders (vv. 22, 23). Discriminating between them, 
dealing with some gently, with others severely, (a) 
Reasoning with doubters to convince them of error. 
(b) Saving others by desperate effort, snatching them 
as brands from the burning, [c) Shunning those who 



The Epistle of Jude 



319 



are incorrigibly corrupt, fearing the polluting touch 
of their flesh-stained garments. (3) By trusting in the 
keeping power of God (vv. 24, 25). Those who keep 
themselves in the love of God are kept by His power. 
They are "kept for Jesus Christ" (v. 1). They are 
guarded from stumbling and guided along their up- 
ward way until they are "set before the presence of 
His glory without blemish in exceeding joy. " In a 
doxology of praise to Jesus Christ our Lord, through 
whom the keeping power of God is ministered, this 
epistle ends. 



THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN 



THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 

Like many other portions of the Bible, the utter- 
ances of the Apocalypse of John find explanation in 
the circumstances out of which they emerged. The 
background and key to the book may be discovered 
by reference to the two great events which made the 
second half of the first century profoundly significant 
to the Church — the persecutions of Christians at the 
hands of the Roman power beginning in the time of 
Nero, and the Jewish war with its tragic conclusion 
in the downfall of Jerusalem. 

When Nero ascended the throne, in 54 A.D., the 
omens were propitious for a happy and popular reign, 
in spite of the unprincipled methods by which his 
mother, Agrippina, had brought about his adoption 
into the family of Claudius and his elevation to the 
purple. Indeed, the earlier years of his rule were 
marked by moderation in conduct and administra- 
tion. But presently he surrounded himself with asso- 
ciates whose character was an insult to the honor of 
Rome, and the emperor himself plunged into that 
career of debauchery and crime which ended by mak- 
ing the palace a scene of nameless infamy and horror. 
One after another those to whom he owed most fell 
victims to his insane jealousy or suspicion — Seneca, 
his teacher; Burrus, the stanch and incorruptible 

320 



The Revelation of St. John 



321 



soldier; Octavia his wife and Poppaea his mistress; 
and even his mother, who had schemed and labored 
in his behalf. But the thing which more than aught 
else roused his people to indignation was the burning 
of Rome, a deed said to have been suggested to Nero 
by one of his creatures as a spectacle sufficient to 
inspire the emperor to a supreme expression of his 
poetic talents in an ode on the destruction of Troy. 
The catastrophe which befell the city brought with it 
such appalling distress that Nero found it necessary 
to find a scapegoat on which the responsibility for the 
awful crime could be laid. The small but rapidly 
growing community of Christians in Rome provided 
the object sought, to divert suspicion from the em- 
peror himself, and perhaps also to gratify the malice 
of certain classes, like the Jews, under whose ill-will 
the Christians rested. The outcome was the terrible 
persecution which began at once, and which found 
expressive characterization in the Christian vocabulary 
of the time as "the great tribulation" (Rev. vii. 14). 
The sufferings of the little church in Rome were 
sufficient to have shaken the courage of the most 
resolute defenders of the faith. Fire and sword, the 
cross, the arena of the amphitheater, did their deadly 
work, until the suffering church might well cry out, 
"How long, O Lord, how long" (Rev. vi. 10). In this 
persecution, according to the tradition of the fathers, 
perished Peter and Paul, leaving John as perhaps the 
sole surviving member of the apostolic group. If the 
scenes of the Apocalypse are to be taken as descriptive 
to some extent of these events, one is led to believe 
that the writer was himself a witness of at least a 
portion of the disasters which befell the Christian cir- 



322 The Teachings of the Books 



cle, and sought to sustain the wavering faith of his 
brethren by assurances of the ultimate overthrow of 
the beast that was ravaging the Church, and the cer- 
tain triumph of Christianity under its divine leader. 

Similarly, tragic events in Palestine supply addi- 
tional means of understanding the symbolic language 
of this remarkable book. The oppressive measures 
of the procurator Gessius Florus, in the year 65 A. D., 
provoked repeated uprisings in Judea. The pop- 
ular discontent spread to Galilee, and presently all 
these provinces were in a fury of revolt. In this crisis 
an appeal was made to the Roman legate of Syria, 
Cestius Gallus, for aid, and the entire force of Roman 
troops in the district was brought into action against 
the Jews. This only resulted in greater humiliation 
for the imperial arms, for the legate was defeated 
(A. D. 66) in a battle at Beth-horon, the scene of Josh- 
ua's victory over the Canaanites. This overthrow of 
Roman power in Palestine produced a crisis so serious 
that even Nero was sobered for a moment by the 
news, and hastened to send Vespasian, his ablest gen- 
eral, to take charge of the campaign and recover the 
lost province. This veteran soldier hastened, with 
his son Titus, toward the revolted territory, gather- 
ing all available forces on the way, and pressing 
southward from Antioch in March of the year 67 
A. D., he drove the flying insurgents before him, and 
drew his lines ever closer about the doomed capital, 
where multitudes had taken refuge. The story told 
by Josephus regarding the horrors of this war and the 
fall of Jerusalem, rent by furious and fanatical fac- 
tions within, and "compassed about with armies" 
need not be recounted here. In July, 70 A. D., 



The Revelation of St. John 323 



the last wall was breached, and the Romans under 
Titus rushed in to complete the extermination of the 
unhappy people, already weakened with famine and 
perishing by thousands. The temple, a glittering 
mountain of marble and gold, the glory of the chosen 
nation, was fired by the soldiers, enraged by the stub- 
born resistance of the Jewish forces, and with its fall 
the life of Israel as a nation went out. Thus, under 
the power of that same Rome at whose hands the 
Church in Italy was suffering such afflictions, the Holy 
City had fallen, and the heart of the apocalyptist, him- 
self a Jewish Christian, related by ties of faith and of 
blood to both victims of these appalling tragedies, 
was rent with anguish and fierce with an indignation 
which might well burn in the breast of the Son of 
Thunder. In the Apocalypse these emotions voice 
themselves. Rome was triumphing everywhere, the 
faithful were persecuted unto the death, and the Holy 
Land was ravaged as by wild beasts. Yet the Church 
was only being tried as by fire, and Jerusalem had 
but called down upon her head the recompense of her 
many sins. So felt and wrote the seer. No believer, 
however, had any cause for despair; much had been 
suffered, much more would yet be suffered, but the 
end was sure. The world powers were certain to 
fall under the power of the Messiah. Let the Church 
look up ; her deliverance and the transfiguration of the 
kingdoms of the earth into the kingdom of God and 
His Anointed was near. The City of God, the new 
social order, the reign of righteousness on this earth, 
was already descending from heaven. 



324 The Teachings of the Books 



STYLE 

This message, so timely and necessary, was couched 
in the cryptographic terms in which all apocalyptic 
writings abound. One has but to compare this book 
with such works as the prophecies of Daniel, in the 
Old Testament, and the book of Enoch, in the extra- 
canonical literature, to perceive that the impress of a 
common type of thought is upon them all; albeit, this 
book possesses elements which give it a striking 
superiority to the apocalypses of Judaism, because of 
the faith and hope with which Christianity had fired 
the writer. Its terms and figures are those of one 
who speaks a cryptic language to mask his message 
from foes who were watching the Christian community 
for utterances which could be construed as treason- 
able. The scenes of the book are drawn from those 
experiences of the Church and the Holy City which 
served to point the moral of the perpetual struggle 
between the world forces and the kingdom of God. 
While the interpretation of particular features is diffi- 
cult or impossible by reason of our ignorance of the 
events to which the writer alludes, the leading pictures 
are not difficult to identify in the light which history 
throws on that period. 

To understand this book one needs to be familiar 
with the figures of speech common to all apocalyptic 
literature, both of the Old Testament, including 
Zephaniah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Daniel, and of 
the extra-canonical books which developed in great 
variety after the Maccabean uprising. This entire 
class of literature makes use of figurative and striking 
language. Pictures and portents, falling stars, earth- 



The Revelation of St. John 31$ 



quakes, clouds, beasts of the land and sea, are parts 
of the structure; and all have a significance which 
was understood by the Jews of those and later cen- 
turies, and which may easily be discerned by students 
at the present time. This book is not a series of 
visions, but a collection of apocalyptic figures taken 
to describe one vision, and hence the book has unity 
and consistency of plan. The writer describes a defi- 
nite vision which was given to him when he was "in 
the spirit." He sets forth in pictorial form the 
destruction of the Jewish age, which was rapidly 
drawing to its close, and the coming of the new age 
which was soon to be ushered in. Jerusalem was 
about to fall, the Jewish system was about to col- 
lapse, the final scene of the long drama of Jewish his- 
tory was to be a tragedy. Then would the Son of 
Man come in power and glory. 

AIM OF THE BOOK 

But the Apocalypse was calculated to meet not only 
the crises of imperial persecution in the Church and the 
closing tragedy of Judaism with a message of courage 
and hope; it is also fitted to meet every such crisis of 
struggle between the world powers and the kingdom 
of God with the same message. While an exuberant 
fancy, the product of limited knowledge of apocalyptic 
literature, or of crude efforts to impose on this book 
the test of prediction which it nowhere admits, may 
lead to the attempt to identify its figures and symbols 
with actors and events in the unfolding drama of 
Christian history through the centuries, it is manifest 
that the conflict between the powers of earth and 
heaven which is set forth, and whose issue is forecast 



326 The Teachings of the Books 

in terms of triumph for its own age, was the precursor 
of other conflicts, indeed of every similar conflict, and 
that the confidence of the seer in the victorious out- 
come of the struggle in his own day may be taken as 
the invariably triumphant note of the Church in the 
face of every foe. It is this fact which gives the 
Apocalypse significance beyond a mere chronicle of 
distress in the apostolic age. It strikes the universal 
note of confidence and courage. It voices the hopes 
of Christianity, not only for present success, but for 
progressive realization of its supreme purpose in 
ushering in the city of God, the kingdom of heaven, 
the reign of the Messiah. It describes events which 
the Saviour had indicated as marking the arrival of 
the kingdom in power and as destined to consumma- 
tion during that generation. In these events the Son 
of Man came afresh in power, and a new period began 
in the life of the Church. They were therefore 
worthy of such portrayal as the apocalyptist has given 
them, in terms lurid and awful, for they depict the 
expiring agonies of the old age and the birth of the 
new. 

AUTHORSHIP 

The question of authorship is still unsettled. Is 
the book in its entirety the work of one writer or of 
several? If of several, were some of the parts from 
Jewish and other apocalyptists, or were they all from 
Christian hands? These are questions which can be 
answered only by further investigation. Some one 
named John purports to be the writer of at least por- 
tions of the book. Who is this John? Is he the well- 
known apostle, or is he some unknown author of the 



The Revelation of St. John 327 



same name?* In the absence of certainty the Church 
has inclined strongly to the former opinion, and while 
the case is complicated by indications of various 
strata in the work, and of doubt as to the relation of 
the main author to others who may have wrought upon 
portions of it, and still further by the question as to 
whether the relation of John to the work as a whole 
is primary or secondary, yet one is justified in infer- 
ring that the book has a Johannine character, and 
that the final verdict of criticism may justify the tra- 
dition of the Church. 

Before His ascension the Master gave to John an 
intimation that he would live until he witnessed His 
second advent. During the interview between Jesus 
and His disciples by the sea, when Jesus foretold 
that Peter should glorify Him by a death of martyr- 
dom, Peter pointed to John, and asked, "Concerning 
this man, what?" * * If I will that he tarry till I come, ' ' 
said Jesus, "what is that to thee?" He did tarry 
until after the other apostles had gone, and lived to 
witness the great crisis which he describes in his 
apocalypse. 

The value of the book, however, does not rest on 
the questions of authorship, unity, or data, but on 
the contribution which it makes to our knowledge 
of Christian thought and experience at a period so 
near the life of our Lord. It is a great drama, written 
at a great epoch. The transition from the outward 
to the spiritual which it describes is evermore repeat- 
ing itself in the events of history and in the experi- 

*The theory that the writer or final editor was not John the apostle but 
John the Presbyter has in recent days been revived by Harnack. Haussleiter, 
on the other hand, maintains that John the Presbyter is a figment of the 
imagination. 



328 The Teachings of the Books 

ence of the Church. Every coming in judgment is 
followed by a coming in salvation; every old Jerusa- 
lem that perishes brings in a new Jerusalem. 

"The old order changeth, yielding place to new 
And God fulfills Himself in many ways." 

Every change leads to consummation. 

SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION 

The book of Revelation has been called "the great 
enigma;" but an enigma or a puzzle-book it was 
surely never meant to be. As its name imports, it is 
an uncovering or unveiling of that which is hidden. 
It was written for edification. A special blessing is 
pronounced upon those who read and observe its 
teachings (i. 3). 

Fortunately we are not required to draw upon our 
imagination for an interpretation of this remarkable 
book. The key that unlocks its treasures hangs on 
the door. That key is found in the opening words, 
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave 
Him to show unto His servants, even the things which 
must shortly come to pass. " In these words the book 
explains itself. 

1. It is a revelation of Jesus Christy a revelation of 
His kingly glory and conquering power. It opens with 
a sublime vision of Christ as He now is, transfigured 
and glorified (i. 14-19). From an artistic point of 
view this vision may not satisfy the strictest canons 
of art, but from a spiritual point of view it is pro- 
foundly impressive. It presents an Unsurpassable 
picture of moral majesty. The Son of Man has 
become the high priest of humanity; the Ancient of 
Days has become the Lord of the present; to Him 



The Revelation of St. John 329 



who was despised and rejected of men divine homage 
is given. He is king and judge of men. On His 
head are many crowns; in His hand is the all-con- 
quering sword of truth. He goes forth scattering 
His enemies like the chaff of the summer threshing 
floor, and bringing all alien forces under His sovereign 
sway. 

No vision of Christ could have been given at that 
particular time more full of comfort to His feeble and 
fainting Church. A storm of persecution was already 
breaking upon it, such as the world had never wit- 
nessed. Would it outlive the storm? Would the 
Lord in whom it had trusted be able to bring it 
through? How cheering the assurance that the 
Church would triumph over all opposition, and that 
through its agency the kingdom of Christ would be 
established on the earth. "Consummation," says 
Bernard, "is the doctrine of this book." The con- 
summation foretold is the consummation of the 
Church in the kingdom. 

The seven titles given to Jesus in this book are all 
descriptive of His kingly glory. (1) He is the one 
"who was, who is, and who cometh" (i. 4). (2) "The 
faithful witness" (i. 5). (3) "The first-born of the 
dead" (i. 5). (4) "The ruler of the kings of the earth" 
(i. 5). (5) t4 The Alpha and the Omega" (i. 8). (6) 
"The first and the last" (i. 17). (7) The living one 
who was dead, and who is alive forevermore (i. 18). 
The crucified Christ has become the reigning Christ. 
When His enemies were exulting over His death, say- 
ing to His discouraged followers, "What can your lost 
leader do for you in the day of tribulation that is 
approaching? He has gone from you forever. His 



330 The Teachings of the Books 



power is at an end. Why continue to follow a forlorn 
hope?" Then comes the joyful announcement, "The 
dead has become alive; the lost leader has returned. 
His presence is about to be visibly manifested" (i. 7). 
He is about to make His saints victorious over all their 
enemies, making them "to be unto our God a kingdom 
and Priests"; and giving them authority "to reign 
upon the earth" (v. 10). 

2. // is a revelation of Jesus Christ given in impend- 
ing historical events. The object of the revelation is 
expressly said to be "to show the things which must 
shortly come to pass , 1 " or the things which Jesus was 
about to bring to pass. The book is not a gradual 
unrolling of the scroll of the future, not a panoramic 
view of the history of the Church from the beginning 
to the close; not a history of the Church written in 
advance, but a revelation of things which were about 
to happen. "The time is at hand." "Behold, I 
come quickly," is the way in which the immediacy of 
the things foretold is announced. 

The book deals with the events described in the 
eschatological discourses of our Lord, and gives their 
interpretation. "In Christ's day these events were 
within a lifetime or generation; in the epistles they 
were 'at hand'; in the apocalypse they have come" 
(Brown). Historically the book follows the Acts of 
the Apostles, which describes the planting of the 
Church. It portrays the struggle of the Church for 
existence, and its initial triumph over the assailing 
powers that seek to crush out its very life. It shows 
what Jesus does to save His Church. 

3. The revelation of Christ to the Church. He is 
represented as being with them, walking in the midst 



The Revelation of St. John 331 



of the seven-branched candelabrum, trimming it, and 
feeding it with oil, so that it might burn with a clear 
and steady light (i. 13). He sends epistles to seven 
churches in Asia Minor, which are selected as typical 
or representative churches. All these churches are 
in the thick of a deadly conflict, and a reward is 
promised "to him that overcometh"; the reward in 
each case being graded according to the degree of 
trial to be overcome. That the words of the risen 
Christ have something more than a local application 
is suggested by the refrain with which every letter 
closes, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the 
Spirit saith unto the churches. " There are also seven 
beatitudes which pronounce special blessings upon 
those who are found faithful in the hour of trial. 
For a study of these beatitudes see i. 3, xiv. 13, xvi. 
15, xix. 9, xx. 6, xxii. 7, xxii. 14. 

4. The opening of heaven. A door is opened in 
heaven, and a glimpse is given into the secret of the 
divine purpose regarding "the things which must 
come to pass hereafter" (iv. 1), thus fulfilling the 
promise made by Jesus at the beginning of His min- 
istry to His disciples, "Ye shall see heaven opened" 
(John i. 51). In the center of all things there is 
a throne — the symbol of government and power — 
and on the throne One before whom the angels 
bow. In the right hand of Him who sits upon the 
throne is "a book written within and on the back, 
close sealed with seven seals" (v. 1). For a time 
there is great lamentation because no one is found 
who is worthy to open the book or to look thereon. 
But weeping is turned into joy when it is announced 
that "the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root 



332 The Teachings of the Books 



of David, hath overcome to open the book and the 
seven seals thereof" (v. 5). A beautiful pictorial 
representation of the power of Christ to open the 
seven sealed mysteries of life, of death, and of the 
future! 

When it is known that the seals can be opened 
there is an outburst of joy, and pagans of praise are 
sung. Victory is anticipated before the battle begins. 
The struggle may be fierce, but its final outcome is no 
longer uncertain (v. 6-14). 

f 5. The conflict which now opens is between Christ and 
His Church on the one side, and the world powers and the 
powers of darkness on the other side. To describe this 
conflict and its issue is the main purpose of this 
remarkable book. 

John the Son of Thunder writes with all the fiery 
impetuosity of one whose soul longs to be relieved of 
its prophetic burden. His exuberant fancy is steeped 
in the imagery of the Old Testament apocalypses, 
especially of Ezekiel and Daniel. The prophetic drama 
which he produces is one which for magnificence of 
diction and sweep of thought has never been surpassed. 
It is characterized by unity of plan and by a skillful 
arrangement of its material. The framework upon 
which it is constructed is that of seven septenaries, 
each of which constitutes a sevenfold series. The 
events thus systematically set forth do not, however, 
follow each other in chronological sequence, for the aim 
of the book is ethical, and not historical. It is a suc- 
cession of flashlight pictures, given for the purpose of 
exhibiting the first great conflict by which the Church 
was to be sifted, cleansed, and strengthened. It was 
not written to satisfy the curiosity of men regarding 



The Revelation of St. John 333 



the secrets of the future, but to confirm Christian 
faith and inspire Christian hope in that age, and in all 
ages.* 

With this practical end in view it was natural that 
John should write from the standpoint of his own 
age. Professor W. Milligan is unquestionably correct 
in saying, "We are not to look in the Revelation of 
St. John for any prediction of events beyond that 
great event of which the whole New Testament is 
full — the manifestation of the glory of the now exalted 
but hidden Lord, together with the complete and final 
victory over all evil, "f 

In giving a series of paintings full of color, life, 
and movement, dealing with the things in which men 
are always most deeply interested — namely, the things 
of their own age, the things about to happen — John 
writes as a literary impressionist. His work is not to 
be studied in its minute details, but in its broad out- 
lines. To seek for a hidden meaning in every figure 
which he uses would be as unreasonable as if one 
should search for a hidden meaning in the ring, the 
shoes, or the fatted calf mentioned in the parable of 
the prodigal son. 

Looking in a broad light at the great struggle here 
depicted, we find that it falls into two parts. 

Part first — which extends from Chapter VI. to 
Chapter XI. inclusive, is descriptive of the last days 

*The schools of interpreters may be divided into three, the Preterists, 
who hold that the events recorded have been fulfilled in whole or in part; the 
Futurists, who hold that the events recorded are yet to take place in con- 
nection with the second advent; and the Historical school, who hold that 
the book gives a progressive unfolding of the history of the Church from its 
beginning to its close. In this exposition the Freterist standpoint is occu- 
pied. 

t Book by Book, p. 557. It would have saved Professor Milligan from 
great confusion if he had always held consistently to that unassailable po- 
sition. 



334 The Teachings of the Books 



of the Jewish age. There is about this part a Jewish 
tone or atmosphere. Its symbolism is Jewish, its 
view-point is Jewish. Judgment begins at the house 
of God's Israel, who had been hostile to the Christian 
faith. The first seal is opened, and the Son of Man, 
crowned and armed, rides forth upon a white horse, 
conquering and to conquer (vi. i). As each succes- \ 
sive seal is opened some new aspect of the conflict is 
seen. Before the seventh seal is opened the elect of 
God are gathered "out of the tribes of Israel," and 
sealed upon their foreheads (vii. 1-8). Then there is 
a pause, "a silence in heaven about the space of half 
an hour" (viii. i). The silence is broken by the 
sounding of trumpets, which herald the things that 
are coming. The blowing of the seven trumpets is 
followed by a succession of judgments which shake 
terribly the earth. The temple of God, and the altar, 
and them that worship therein, "are measured, and 
being found wanting, are given over to the fury of 
the nations" (xi. i, 2). War is made upon the saints, 
and "their dead bodies lie in the street of the great 
city, which spiritually is called Sodom, and Egypt, 
wherein also their Lord was crucified" (xi. 8). In a 
shock of doom the city falls, and with it is swept away 
the old Jewish system which stood in the way of the 
kingdom of Christ. With a single glimpse of the new 
spiritual temple about to be erected upon the ground 
which had thus been cleared, the vision ends. "And 
there was opened the temple of God in heaven, and 
there was seen in the temple the ark of the covenant" 
(xi. 19). 

Part second — the downfall of paganism. It is 
pagan, not papal Rome, that is referred to in this 



The Revelation of St. John 33 5 



section. The two great opposing powers of the new 
faith were the Jewish and the Roman, the one ecclesi- 
astical and the other civil. Between the lines of 
John's vision one may read a history of the Rome of 
his day. From prudential reasons the references are, 
of course, veiled in metaphor. John lived too near the 
events which he describes to make it wise for him to 
name the chief actors, but the cryptograms which he 
employs were no doubt perfectly intelligible to the 
Christians of his own day for whom he specially 
wrote. We have an example of this form of speech 
in I. Peter v. 13, where Rome is generally understood 
to be referred to under the name of Babylon. 

The exact meaning of the mystic figures employed 
it is difficult to determine, even when their ethical 
import is apparent. The red dragon, who is called 
"the old serpent," "the devil," and "Satan," after 
being hurled from heaven, where he made war, perse- 
cutes the woman and her offspring; but the earth 
helps the woman, and she is delivered from the 
dragon's power (xii.). Two beasts, one of which 
rises out of the sea and the other out of the earth, 
make havoc of the saints. The life is well nigh 
crushed out of the saints when, in the hour of dark- 
ness and the power of the enemy, the Lamb is seen 
standing on Mount Zion, surrounded by a mighty host 
whom He has rallied around His standard (xiii., xiv. 1). 
Their shout of victory is as the voice of many waters 
(xiv. 2). Now the scene changes. Those that wor- 
ship the beast and his image and receive the mark of 
his name are tormented with fire (xiv. 10, 11); seven 
bowls of wrath are poured out upon the enemies of 



336 The Teachings of the Books 



the Church, and the power of Babylon the great is 
shattered (xv. 5-8, xvi. ). 

1. Through conflict comes triumph. The sublime 
drama reaches its climax. Salvation and judgment 
have commingled; now by judgment comes salvation. 
A great voice of a great multitude is heard in heaven, 
saying, "Hallelujah! salvation and glory and power 
belong to our God; for true and righteous are His 
judgments" (xix. 1, 2). The reign of God is now 
established, and "the marriage of the Lamb is come, 
and His wife has made herself ready" (xix. 7). That 
the contest is a moral one is made evident by a refer- 
ence to the "angel flying in mid-heaven, having an 
eternal gospel to proclaim unto them that dwell on 
the earth" (xiv. 6), and to the conqueror who is 
arrayed in garments sprinkled with blood; and His 
name is called the Word of God (xix. 12, 13), "and 
He hath on His garments, and on His thigh a name 
written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (xix. 16). 

Now comes the death struggle. The beast, the 
kings of the earth, and their armies gather for a final 
assault. But their overthrow is complete. The beast, 
the false prophet, and Satan, the arch-deceiver, who 
have been leagued together against the Lord's 
anointed, are overcome, and are bound and cast 
into the lake of fire and brimstone (xix. 19, xx. 1, 2). 

2. The blessed consummation. The day of millennial 
glory at last breaks upon this troubled earth. The 
old Jerusalem has passed away, and "the holy city, 
new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven from God" 
(xxi. 1). A new social order has begun. The king- 
dom of God is realized here and now. Earth is the 
scene of its glory. The heavenly ideal is brought 



The Revelation of St. John 337 



down to earth, and becomes a this-world's kingdom. 
The tabernacle of God is with men. Into the new 
city, which the most beautiful and precious things of 
earth are taken to describe, the kings of the earth 
bring their glory (xxi. 9-27). 

This city, which forms the metropolitan center of 
the kingdom, is not confined to a single localized 
enclosure. It is to be found wherever Christ and the 
principles of His religion have triumphed. It will be 
found in Rome, in London, in Paris, in New York, 
in Chicago, or in any of the world's civic centers, 
when within its gates the rule of Christ is supreme. 

Bat this Holy City is not presented on its earth side 
alone. The glowing figures in which it is described 
are not exhausted in its temporal manifestation. 
There is a suggestion of something beyond, a sug- 
gestion of the extension of the present into the future. 
The heaven side is more than hinted at. The tem- 
poral melts into the eternal. The kingdom of God in 
heaven is at once the continuation and the culmina- 
tion of the kingdom of God on earth. The finger of 
promise points to that city which no eye has seen, 
which is the final goal of all earth's hopes and long- 
ings. But the main emphasis is upon the present. 
The king is here, the kingdom cometh ; and it cometh 
just because the king is here to make it come. Is it 
any wonder, then, that when the voice for which the 
world has waited is heard crying, "Behold, I come 
quickly," the Church should send the answer back, 
"Amen; come, Lord Jesus"? 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



HELPS FOR THE STUDY OF THE NEW 
TESTAMENT. 

GENERAL. 

Schurer, Emil, "The Jewish People in the Time of Jesus 

Christ." Scribner, 1S91, 5 vols. $8, 
Hausrath, Adolf, "History of New Testament Times." Wil- 
liams & Norgate, 1895, 4 vols. 34s. 
Mathews, Shailer, "The History of New Testament Times 

in Palestine. " Macmillan, 1S99. 75c. 
Vincent, Marvin R., "The History of the Textual Criticism 

of the New Testament. " Macmillan, 1900. 75c. 
Nash, Henry S., "The History of the Higher Criticism of the 

New Testament." Macmillan, igoo. 75c. 
Riggs, J. S., "History of the Jewish People in the Maccabean 

and Roman Periods." Scribner, 1900. 81-25. 
Smith, George Adam, "Historical Geography of the Holy 

Land." Armstrong, 1897. $4. 
MacCoun, Townsend, "The Holy Land in Geography and 

History." Revell, 2 vols., 1897. $2. 
Socin and Benzinger, "Palestine and Syria" (Baedeker). 

Scribner, 1898. S3. 60. 
Salmon, George, "Historical Introduction to the Study of the 

Books of the New Testament." Scribner, 1896. S3. 50. 
Weiss, Bernard, "A Manual of Introduction to the New 

Testament." Funk & Wagnalls, 1SS9. 2 vols. $4. 
Bennett and Adeney, "Biblical Introduction" (Old and New 

Testaments). Whittaker, 1S99. $ 2 - 
Stevens, George B. , "The Theology of the New Testament." 

Scribner, 1899. S2.50. 
Gould, Ezra P., "The Biblical Theology of the New Testa- 
ment." Macmillan, 1900. 75c. 



Bibliography 



Adeney, W. F., "The Theology of the New Testament.'* 

Whittaker, 1894. 75 c. 
"The Twentieth Century New Testament." Revell, Part 

I, 1900. 50c. 

Articles on the appropriate subjects in Hastings' Bible Dic- 
tionary, the Encyclopaedia Biblica, and the Encyclopaedia 
Britannica, 9th ed. 

SPECIAL GROUPS. 

I. THE GOSPELS. 

Stevens and Burton, "A Harmony of the Gospels." Silver, 
Burdett & Co., 1894. $1.50 and 75c. 

Westcott, B. F., "Introduction to the Study of the Gospels." 
MacmUlan, 1895. $2.25. 

"The Expositor's Greek Testament," vol. I. A. B. Bruce 
("The Synoptic Gospels"), and Marcus Dods ("The Gos- 
pel of John"). Dodd, Mead & Co., 1897. $7.50. 

II. THE PAULINE EPISTLES. 

Burton, E. D., "Records and Letters of the Apostolic Age." 

Scribner, 1895. $1.50. 
Stevens, G. B., "The Messages of Paul:" arranged in his- 
torical order, analyzed, and freely rendered in paraphrase. 

Scribner, 1900. $1.25. 
Ellicott, C. J., "Critical and Exegetical Commentary on St. 

Paul's Epistles" (except Rom. and 2 Cor.). Draper, 

Andover, 3 vols., 1889-90. $9.50. 
Beet, J. A., "Commentary on St. Paul's Epistles" (except 1 

and 2 Thess. and the Pastorals). Whittaker, 1888-91. 4 

vols., $8. 

Stevens, G. B., "The Pauline Theology." Scribner, 1892. $2. 
Bruce, A. B., "St. Paul's Conception of Christianity." 

Scribner, 1898. $2. 
Sabatier, Auguste, "The Apostle Paul: A Sketch of the 

Development of His Doctrine." Hodder & Stoughton, 

London, 1896. $2. 
Pfleiderer, Otto, "Influence of the Apostle Paul on the 

Development of Christianity. " Scribner, 1885. $2. 



Bibliography 



HI. THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS. 

Stevens, G. B., "The Johannine Theology." Scribner, 
1894. $2. 

IV. THE GENERAL EPISTLES. 

Stevens, G. B., "The Messages of the Apostles: The Apostolic 
Discourses in the Book of Acts and the General and Pas- 
toral Epistles of the New Testament," arranged in chrono- 
logical order, analyzed and freely rendered in paraphrase. 
Scribner, 1900. $1.25. 

THE SEPARATE BOOKS. 

MATTHEW. 

Carr, A., "The Gospel According to St. Matthew." (Cam- 
bridge Bible.). Macmillan, 1896. 65c. 

Broadus, J. A., "Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew." 
Amer. Bapt. Pub. Soc, 1887. $2. 

Morison, James, "Practical Commentary on the Gospel 
According to St. Matthew." Hodder & Stoughton, Lon- 
don, 1895. S3- 5o. 

Weiss, Bernhard, "Commentary on Matthew." (Meyer.) 
Funk & Wagnalls, 1884. S3. 

MARK. 

Maclear, G. F., "Gospel According to St. Mark." (Cambridge 

Bible.) Macmillan, 1896. 65c. 
Morison, James, "Practical Commentary on the Gospel 

According to St. Mark." Hodder & Stoughton, London, 

1894. S3- 

Weiss, Bernhard, "Commentary on Mark." (Meyer.) Funk 

& Wagnalls, 1893. S3- 
Gould, E. P., "Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the 

Gospel According to St. Mark." (Intern. Crit. Comm.) 

Scribner. $2. 50. 

LUKE. 

Farrar, F. W., "Commentary on the Gospel of Luke." 
(Cambridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1895. Si. 10. 



Bibliography 



Godet, Frederic, "Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke." 

Funk & Wagnalls, 1887. $3. 
Weiss, Johannes, "Commentary on Luke." (Meyer.) In 

same volume with "Mark," q. v. ' 
Plummer, Alfred, "Critical and Exegetical Commentary on 

the Gospel According to St. Luke." (Intern. Crit. Comm.) 

Scribner, 1896. $3. 

JOHN. 

Plummer, Alfred, "Gospel According to St. John." (Cam- 
bridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1896. Si. 10. 

Godet, Frederic, "Commentary on the Gospel of St. John." 
Funk & Wagnalls, 1886-90. 2 vols. $6. 

Westcott, B. F., "Commentary on the Gospel of St. John" 
(containing also the Acts). Scribner, 1890. $3. 

Weiss, Bernhard, " Commentary on John." (Meyer.) Funk 
& Wagnalls, 1884. $3. 

ACTS. 

Lumby, J. R., "The Acts of the Apostles. " (Cambridge Bible.) 

Macmillan, 1890. $1.10. 
Stokes, G. T., "The Acts of the Apostles." (Expositor's 

Bible.) Armstrong, 1891-92. 2 vols. $3. 
Wendt, H. H., "Commentary on Acts." (Meyer). Funk & 

Wagnalls, 1889. $3. 
Westcott, B. F., "Commentary on Acts." See under "John." 

ROMANS. 

Godet, Frederic, "Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the 

Romans." Funk & Wagnalls, 1892. $3. 
Beet, J. A., "Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the 

Romans." Whittaker, 1890. $2. 
Weiss, Bernhard, "Commentary on Romans." (Meyer.) 

Funk & Wagnalls, 1889. $3. 
Sandy, W., and Headlam, A. C, "Critical and Exegetical 

Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans." (Intern. 

Crit. Comm.) Scribner, 1895. $3. 



Bibliography 



THE CORINTHIAN EPISTLES. 

Beet, J. A., "Commentary on St. Paul's Epistles to the Corin- 
thians." Whittaker, 1891. $2.50. 

Godet, Frederic, "Commentary on St. Paul's First Epistle to 
the Corinthians." Scribner, 1886-87. 2 vols. $6. 

Denney, James, "The Second Epistle to the Corinthians." 
(Expositor's Bible.) Armstrong, 1894. $1.50. 

Ellicott, C. J., "A Critical and Grammatical Commentary on 
St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians." Draper, 
Andover, 1889. $2.75. 

Heinrici, C. F. G., "Commentary on First and Second Corin- 
thians." (Meyer.) Funk & Wagnalls, 1896-1900. $3. 

GALATIANS. 

Perowne, E. H., "Epistle to the Galatians." (Cambridge 
Bible.) Macmillan, 1890. 40c. 

Beet, J. A., " Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Gala- 
tians." Whittaker, 1888. $1.50. 

Stevens, G. B., "A Short Exposition of the Epistle to the 
Galatians." Silver, Burdett & Co., 1894. Si. 50. 

Findlay, G. G., "The Epistle to the Galatians." (Expositor's 
Bible.) Armstrong, 1888. Si. 50. 

Lightfoot, J. B., "St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians." Mac- 
millan, 1892. $3.25. 

Seiffert, F. A. E.," Commentary on Galatians and Ephesians. " 
(Meyer.) Funk & Wagnalls, 1892. $3. 

Ramsay, W. M., "Historical Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle 
to the Galatians. " Putnam, 1900. $3. 

ephesians. 

Moule, H. C. G., "The Epistle to the Ephesians." (Cambridge 
Bible.) Macmillan, 1893. 65c. 

Beet, J. A., "Commentary on St. Paul's Epistles to the Ephe- 
sians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon." Whittaker, 
1891. $2. 

Findlay, G. G., "The Epistle to the Ephesians." (Expositor's 

Bible.) Armstrong, 1892. $1.50. 
Haupt, Erich, "Commentary on Ephesians." (Meyer.) See 

under "Galatians." 



Bibliography 



Macpherson, John, "Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the 

Ephesians." Scribner, 1892. $3.50. 
Abbott, T. K., "Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the 

Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians. (Intern. 

Crit. Comm.) Scribner, 1897. $2.50. 

PHILIPPIANS. 

Moule, H. C. G., "The Epistle to the Philippians. " Cam- 
bridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1889. 65c. 
Beet, J. A. See under "Ephesians." 

Rainy, Robert, ' 'The Epistle to the Philippians. " (Expositor's 

Bible.) Armstrong, 1893. $1.50. 
Lightfoot, J. B., "St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians." 

Macmillan, 1891. $3.25. 
Haupt, Erich, "Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 

Philemon and Thessalonians. (Meyer.) Funk & Wag- 

nalls, 1889. $3. 
Vincent, M. R., "Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the 

Epistles to the Philippians and Philemon." (Intern. Crit. 

Comm.) Scribner, 1897. $2. 

COLOSSIANS. 

Moule, H. C. G., "The Epistles to the Colossians and to 
Philemon." (Cambridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1893. 50c. 
Beet, J. A. See under "Ephesians." 

Maclaren, Alexander, "The Epistles to the Colossians and to 
Philemon." (Expositor's Bible.) Armstrong, 1888. $1.50. 

Lightfoot, J. B., "St. Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to 
Philemon." Macmillan, 1890. $3.25. 

Haupt, Erich. (Meyer.) See under " Philippians. " 

Abbott, T. K. (Intern. Crit. Comm.) See under "Ephe- 
sians." 

THE THESSALONIAN EPISTLES. 

Findlay, G. G., "St. Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians. " 
(Cambridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1891. 50c. 

Denney, James, "The Epistles to the Thessalonians." (Expo- 
sitor's Bible.) Armstrong, 1892. $1.50. 

Bornemann, Wilhelm. (Meyer.) See under "Philippians," 



Bibliography 



TIMOTHY AND TITUS. 

Humphreys, A. E., "St Paul's Epistles to Timothy and Titus. " 

(Cambridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1896. Soc, 
Plummer, Alfred, "The Pastoral Epistles." (Expositor's 

Bible.) Armstrong, 1896. $1.50. 
Weiss, Bernhard, "The Epistles to Timothy and Titus and to 

the Hebrews." (Meyer.) Funk & Wagnalls, 1890. $3. 
Ellicott, C. J., "Critical and Grammatical Commentary on 

the Pastoral Epistles. " Draper, Andover, 1890. $1.75. 

PHILEMON. 

Moule, H. C. G. (Cambridge Bible.) See under "Colossians." 
Beet, J. A. See under "Ephesians. " 
Haupt, Erich. (Meyer.) See under " Philippians. " 
Vincent, M. R. (Intern. Crit. Comm.) See under "Philip- 
pians. ' ' 

Maclaren, Alexander. (Expositor's Bible.) See under 
"Colossians." 

HEBREWS. 

Farrar, F. W., "Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews." 

(Cambridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1S89. 90c. 
Davidson, A. B., "The Epistle to the Hebrews." (Handbook 

Series.) Scribner, 1886. 75c. 
Edwards, T. C, "The Epistle to the Hebrews." (Expositor's 

Bible.) Armstrong, 1896. $1.50. 
Westcott, B. F., "The Epistle to the Hebrews." Macmillan, 

1892. $4. 

Weiss, Bernhard. (Meyer.) See under "Timothy and 
Titus." 

Milligan, George, "The Theology of the Epistle to the 

Hebrews." Scribner, 1899. $2.25. 
Bruce, A. B., "The Epistle to the Hebrews. The First 

Apology for Christianity: an Exegetical Study." Scribner, 

1899. $2.50. 

JAMES. 

Plumptre, E. H., "The Epistle of St. James." (Cambridge 
Bible.) Macmillan, 1S78. 40c. 



Bibliography 



Plummer, Alfred, "The Epistle of St. James." (Expositor's 

Bible.) Armstrong, i8gi. $1.50. 
Mayor, J. B., "The Epistle of St. James." Macmillan, 1897. 

$3.50. 

Beyschlag, W., "Commentary on the 'General Epistles of 
James, Peter, John and Jude." (Meyer.) Funk & Wag- 
nails, 1887. $3. 

I. AND II. PETER. 

Plumptre, E. H. "The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude. " 

(Cambridge Bible.) Macmillan, 1892. 60c. 
Lumby, J. R., ' 'The Epistles of St. Peter. " (Expositor's Bible. ) 

Armstrong, 1891. $1.50. 
Johnstone, Robert, "The First Epistle of Peter." Scribner, 

1888. $2. 

Kuhl, Ernst, (Meyer.) See under "James." 

THE EPISTLES OF JOHN. 

Plummer, Alfred, "The Epistles of St. John." (Cambridge 
Bible.) Macmillan, 1883. 90c. 

Alexander, William, "The Epistles of St. John." (Expos- 
itor's Bible.) Armstrong, 1889. $1.50. 

Westcott, B. F., "The Epistles of St. John." Macmillan, 

1892. $3. 

Weiss, Bernhard. (Meyer.) See under "James." 

Haupt, Erich, "The First; Epistle of St. John." ^Scribner, 

1893. $2.25. 

JUDE. 

Plumptre, E. H. (Cambridge Bible.) See under "Peter." 
Kuhl, Ernst. (Meyer.) See under "James." 

REVELATION. 

Simcox, W. H., "The Revelation of St. John." (Cambridge 

Bible.) Macmillan, 1891. 80c. 
Milligan, William, "The Book of Revelation." (Expositor's 

Bible.) 1893. $1.50. 
Bousset, Wilhelm, "The Revelation of John." (Meyer.) 

Funk & Wagnalls, 1887. $3. 
Terry, M. S., "Biblical Apocalyptics. A Study of the most 

notable Revelations of God and of Christ in the Canonical 

Scriptures." Eaton & Mains, 1898. $3. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: June 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township PA 16066 
(724) 779-21H 




til 



